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THE 



LIFE 



OF 



B V NY A N , 

AUTHOR OF THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS; 



COMPILED FROM 



HIS OWN WRITINGS, 



AND FROM 



OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES. 

y' 
BY IKAH CHASE, D, D. 



'/ 




NEW-YORK: 
L. COLBY & COMPANY. 

122 NASSAU STREET. 
1847 




Lj^/. „/r^ J?^. J/, /V*P 



P?L 



CONTENTS. 



Preface, r 7 

Bunyan's Life, from his Birth in 1628 to his 
Conversion, 9 — 47 

From his falling into a State of Doubt and 
Despondency to his being delivered from that 
State, '. ,-.... 47—104 

From his Baptism in 1653 to his being falsely 
Accused, 105— 120 

From his Arrest to his Imprisonment for 
Preaching in 1660, 121—131 

Efforts of his Brethren and Mrs. Bunyan for 
his Liberation, 131—143 

His Long continuance in Prison, . . . 143 — 152 

His Life from his Liberation in 1672 to his 
Death in 1688, .......,..'. 152—166 



PREFACE. 

The writer trusts that he duly appreciates the 
merits of those who have preceded him. But, 
at the same time, he hopes that his attempt 
will not be regarded as arrogance, nor as a useless 
labor. The brief account here presented, may 
furnish to its readers an opportunity of forming 
with the author of the Pilgrim's Progress, as it 
were, some personal acquaintance ; of glancing 
at the times in which he lived ; and of knowing, 
particularly, somewhat of those two very rare 
books, the Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven, and 
the Practice of Piety, which, even before he 
became religious, he used sometimes to read with 
his wife. To render the interview the most 
interesting and useful, it has seemed proper, that, 
during the few hours in which this remarkable 
man is in their presence, he should be the chief 
speaker, and tell, in his own manner, whal 
passed in his mind, and what occurred around 
him. And when his narrative has been inter- 
rupted, it has been only to guard against some 



Viii PREFACE. 

erroneous impression, or to call attention to some 
fact of special importance. When he has ceased 
to speak, or has retired, such additional facts as 
could be obtained from other sources, have been 
given. 

The pith and soul of Bunyan's biography of 
himself, entitled Grace Abounding, it is hoped, 
will be found here. Some pains have been taken 
to trace the connection of events ; and much that 
is naturally suggested to the mind has been left 
unsaid. It can be supplied by the reflecting reader 
himself. There has been an effort to combine 
clearness with brevity, to exaggerate nothing, and 
to do historical justice to the subject of the memoir 
and to all concerned. But respecting the spirit 
and manner which actually pervade this humble 
performance, it does not become the writer to 
speak. Let the intelligent and candid, of all 
denominations, read, and judge for themselves. 

L C. 

Cambridge, Mass., ) 
Dec, 1845. ) 



THE 



LIFE OF BUNYAN. 



From his Birth to his Conversion, 



John Bunyan was born at Elstow, a village 
bordering on the town of Bedford, fifty miles north 
of London, A. D. 1628. It was early in the reign 
of Charles I. And he died, at the age of sixty, 
A. D. 1688, the year of that Revolution which 
transferred the crown from James II. to William 
and Mary. The stormy times in which he lived, 
constitute one of the most memorable periods in 
English history, civil, ecclesiastical, and literary. 
It was the period which exhibited Archbishop 
Laud and others in the height of their power, en- 
forcing conformity to the church of England as 
by law established ; the first Charles contending 
strenuously for the high prerogatives of the crown, 
and, at length beheaded ; the conflicting parties 
filling the land with all the complicated evils of 
war fiercely prosecuted by kinsmen and fellow cit- 



10 LIFE OF 

izens against each other ; the commonwealth, with 
all its discordant elements, under the dominant but 
imperfect sway of Oliver Cromwell, the stern and 
sagacious Protector ; the successful intrigues of 
the selfish and unprincipled, when his sons, less 
able than himself, shrunk from the perils of suc- 
ceeding him in the Protectorate ; the hasty restor- 
ation of the royal power, in the person of the prof- 
ligate Charles II., without conditions ; the abuse 
of that power in numberless ways, especially in 
the ejection of more than two thousand ministers 
from the pastoral office for their non-conformity, 
and in the fining and imprisonment of other con- 
scientious dissenters ; the rapid strides that were 
made towards a return of the nation to the Romish 
church, and, among them, the open profession of 
Romanism by the Duke of York, who, upon the 
death of his brother Charles in 1685, ascended 
the throne as James II., and whose downfall, after 
an arbitrary reign of three or four years, was suc- 
ceeded by the confirming of some of the rights of 
Englishmen, for which enlightened patriots had 
contended, and consistent Christians had suffered, 
in the great struggle for civil and religious free- 
dom. It was a period distinguished also for its 
literary men, Milton, Boyle, Clarendon, Cowley, 
Dryden, Shaftesbury, and Locke ; and for its theo- 
logians, Usher, Walton, Barrow, Baxter, Owen, 
Jeremy Taylor, and Tillotson. 

Bunyan was contemporary with Increase Ma- 
ther, and, in part, on the one hand, with Roger 
Williams, and, on the other, with Cotton Mather. 
He was a schoolboy about ten years of age, sport- 



BUNYAN. 11 

ing with the little companions of his humble child- 
hood, when Harvard College was founded amidst 
the forests of New England. 

It was not his lot, however, to be trained in 
academic halls, nor to move in the circles of refin- 
ed taste and learning, nor of politics and worldly 
power. His father was a poor mechanic, a tinker, 
or brazier : and he was himself early bred to his 
father's employment. And yet he became a re- 
markably impressive preacher, and the author of 
works which have great power to interest and in- 
fluence the mind. To say nothing of his other 
productions, The Pilgrim's Progress has won 
for itself a high place in the estimation of all who 
have read it ; and few books in the English 
language have had more readers. It has passed 
through editions without number. It has been 
translated into all the languages of Europe, and 
into some of those of the East. ' In most instances, 5 
says Southey in speaking of this work, 'the many 
receive gradually and slowly the opinions of the 
few respecting literary merit ; and sometimes in 
assentation to such authority profess with their lips 
an admiration of they know not what, they know 
not why. But here the opinion of the multitude 
had, in the time of Cowper, been ratified by the 
judicious. The people knew what they admired. 
It is a book which makes its way through the fancy 
to the understanding and the heart : the child 
peruses it with wonder and delight ; in youth we 
discover the genius which it displays ; its worth is 
apprehended as we advance in years ; and we 
perceive its merits feelingly in declining age.' 



12 LIFE OF 

But the interest which we feel in perusing the 
Pilgrim's Progress is greatly increased by an 
acquaintance with the personal history of the 
author. He has written in view of his own ex- 
perience ; and yet he has not limited his descrip- 
tions to this ; but, with admirable good sense and 
skill, he has, for the most part, adjusted them to 
the consciousness and observation of all who have 
thought seriously on their religious state and pros- 
pects. 

In another work of his, entitled ' Grace abound- 
ing to the chief of sinners, or a brief relation of the 
exceeding mercy of God in Christ to his poor 
servant John Bunyan,' he has given a plain and 
striking account of his conversion to a lively faith 
in Jesus Christ. Here we are particularly in- 
formed what views he had of sin ; what trouble 
then arose in his mind ; what temptations he met 
with ; and how at length he was delivered from 
them all. 

In this narration, he says : ' Notwithstanding the 
inconsiderableness of my parents, it pleased God 
to incline their hearts to put me to school, that 
I might learn both to read and to write ; the 
which I also attained according to the rate of 
other poor men's children ; though to my shame I 
confess I soon lost the little I had learnt, even 
almost utterly, and that long before the Lord 
wrought his gracious work of conversion upon my 
soul. As for my own natural life, for the time 
that I was without God in the world, it was 
indeed, according to the course of this world and 
the spirit that now worketh in the children of 



BUNYAN. 13 

disobedience I had but few equals 

(especially considering my years, which were 
tender, being few,) both for cursing, swearing, 
lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God. 
Yea, so settled and rooted was I in these things 
that they became as a second nature to me ; the 
which, as I have also with soberness considered 
since, did so offend the Lord, that, even in my 
childhood, he did scare and affrighten me with 
fearful dreams, and did terrify me with fearful 
visions ; for often, after I had spent this or the 
other day in sin, I have in my bed been greatly 
afflicted, while asleep, with the apprehensions of 
evil spirits ; who still, as I then thought, labored 
to draw me away with them, of w T hich I would 
never be rid. . . . These things, I say, when 
I was but a child, nine or ten years old, did so dis- 
tress my soul, that then, in the midst of my many 
sports and childish vanities, amidst my vain com- 
panions, I was often much cast down and afflicted 
in my mind therewith ; yet could I not let go my 
sins ... A while after, those terrible dreams 
left me, which also I soon forgot ; for my plea- 
sures quickly cut off the remembrance of them, as 
if they had never been. 

* In these days, the thoughts of religion were 
very grievous to me ; I could neither endure it 
myself, nor that any other should ; so that, when I 
have seen some read in those books that concerned 
Christian piety, it would be as it were a prison to 
me. Then I said unto God, Depart from me, for 
I desire not the knowledge of thy ways !* I was 
* Job 21 : 11. 
2 



14 LIFE OF 

now void of all good consideration ; heaven and 
hell were both out of sight and mind ; and as for 
saving and damning, they were least in my 
thoughts. O Lord, thou knowest my life ; and 
my ways were not hid from thee. 

1 But this I well remember, that though I could 
myself sin with the greatest delight and ease, and 
also take pleasure in the vileness of my compan- 
ions ; yet, even then, if I had at any time seen 
wicked things, by those who professed goodness, 
it would make my spirit tremble. As once, above 
all the rest, when I was in the height of vanity, jet 
hearing one to swear, that was reckoned for a 
religious man, it had so great a stroke upon my 
spirit, that it made my heart ache. God did not 
utterly leave me, but followed me still, not with 
convictions, but judgements ; yet such as were 
mixed with mercy. For, once I fell into a creek of 
the sea, and hardly escaped drowning. Another 
time, I fell out of a boat into Bedford river, but 
mercy yet preserved me alive. Besides, another 
time, being in the field with one of my companions, 
it chanced that an adder passed over the highway ; 
so I, having a stick in my hand, struck her over 
the back, and having stunned her, I forced open 
her mouth with my stick, and plucked her sting 
out with my fingers ; by which act, had not God 
been merciful unto me, I might by my desperate- 
ness have brought myself to my end. 

4 This also 1 have taken notice of with thanks- 
giving : — when I was a soldier, I with others, was 
drawn out to go to such a place to besiege it, but 
when I was just ready to go, one of the company 



BUN Y AN. 15 

desired to go in my room, to which when I had 
consented, he took my place, and coming to the 
siege, as he stood sentinel, he was shot in the head 
with a musket bullet, and died. 

4 Here, as I said, were judgments and mercy ; 
but neither of them did awaken my soul to righte- 
ousness. Wherefore I sinned still, and grew more 
and more rebellious against God, and careless of 
my own salvation.' . 

The siege to which Bunyan alludes, was, 
according to a sketch of his Life, written by an 
intimate acquaintance and now preserved in the 
British Museum, the siege of Leicester by the 
army of the Parliament, in June, 1645. At that 
time, it would seem, he was in the eighteenth year 
of his age. 

4 Presently after this, I changed my condition into 
a married state, and my mercy was to light upon 
a wife, whose father was counted godly. This 
woman and I, though we came together as poor as 
poor might be, (not having so much household stuff 
as a dish or spoon betwixt us both,) yet this she 
had for her part, The Plain Man's Pathway to 
Heaven, and the Practice of Piety, which her 
father had left her when he died. In these two 
books I would sometimes read with her, wherein I 
also found some things that were somewhat pleas- 
ing to me ; but all this while I met with no con- 
viction. She also would be often telling me what 
a godly man her father was, and how he would 
reprove and correct vice, both in his house and 
among his neighbors ; what a strict and holy life 
he lived in his days, both in words and deeds.' 



16 LIFE OP 

The two books which Bunyan here mentions 
have an important connection with the history of 
his mind ; and they cast light on the times in 
which they were written. 

The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven was 
written by Arthur Dent, Preacher of the Word of 
God, at South Shroobery, in Essex. It was first 
published near the close of Queen Elizabeth's 
reign, two years before the beginning of that of 
her successor, James I. ; for the Epistle Didica- 
tory is dated fc April 10, An. Dom. 1601.' In a 
subsequent edition, clear allusions are made to 
James, and to events which occurred while he 
occupied the throne. It is a small but very neat 
duodecimo volume of about 450 pages, with ruled 
margins. The edition which we have before us is 
the twenty seventh. It is mostly, though not 
entirely, in the old English black letter ; and it 
was printed in 1648, shortly after the time of Bun- 
yan's marriage. 

The work is in the form of a conversation 
between Theologus, a Divine; Philagathus, an 
Honest man ; Asunetus, an Ignorant man ; and 
Antilegon, a Caviller. 

'This book' to use the words of the author, 
' meddleth not at all with any controversies in the 
church, or any thing in the state ecclesiastical, but 
only entereth into a controversy with Satan and 
sin. First, it showeth man's misery in nature, 
with the means of recovery. Secondly, it sharply 
inveigheth against the iniquity of the time, and 
common corruptions of the world. Thirdly, it 
showeth the marks of the children of God, and of 



BUNYAtf. 17 

the reprobates ; together with the apparent signs 
of salvation and damnation. Fourthly, it declareth 
how hard a thing it is to enter into life, and how 
few shall enter. Fifthly, it layeth open the ignor- 
ance of the world, with the objections of the same. 
Last of all, it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet 
promises of the Gospel, with the abundant mercies 
of God to all that repent, believe, and truly turn 
unto him.' 

In the course of the discussion the following 
points, among others are urged : Man's nature was 
corrupted, but not destroyed, by Adam's fall. The 
unregenerate man does nothing that pleases God ; 
he neither sees nor feels his real condition ; he is 
under the tyranny of Satan, and the curse of the 
Law ; if he live and die thus, he will perish t for- 
ever ; he continues in a state of condemnation till 
he is born again. What regeneration is ; and 
what the means. I pray you, says Philagathus, 
tell me what the same regeneration and new birth 
is, whereof you speak. It is, replies Theologus, 
a renewing and repairing of the corrupted and 
diseased state of our souls, as it is written, Be ye 
changed by the renewing of your mind, Rom. 12 : 
2. ; and again, Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 
Ephes. 4 : 23. To the inquiry by what means is 
the new birth wrought ? the leading reply is, ' By 
the preaching of the word, as the outward means ; 
and the secret work of the spirit, as the inward 
means.' Eight infallible signs of a regenerate 
mind : a love to the children of God ; a delight in 
his word ; often and fervent prayer ; zeal of God's 
glory ; denial of ourselves ; patient bearing of the 



18 LIFE OF 

cross with profit and comfort ; faithfulness in our 
calling ; and honest, just, and conscionable dealing 
in all our actions amongst men. Eight signs of 
an unregenerate mind: no love to the children of 
God ; no delight in his word ; seldom and cold 
prayers ; coldness in God's matters ; trusting to 
ourselves ; impatience under the cross ; unfaithful- 
ness ; unhonest and unconscionable dealing ; and 
nine that are yet more palpable : pride, unchastity, 
covetousness, contempt of the gospel, swearing, 
lying, drunkenness, idleness, and oppression. Four 
special signs of the heart's being infected by covet- 
ousness : an eager and sharp-set desire of getting ; 
a pinching and niggardly keeping of our own ; 
neglect of holy duties, (that is, when the minds of 
men are so taken up with the love of earthly 
things, that they begin to slack and cool in matters 
of God's worship ;) and a trusting in riches. Two 
special causes of covetousness : 1. Ignorance and 
distrust of God's providence ; and, 2. the want of 
tasting and feeling heavenly things. The evil 
effects of covetousness ; its excuses ; its remedies. 
One of these is meditation on God's providence for 
his children. His blessing is ail in all. They 
are sometimes brought into great distress, but are 
always sure of being delivered. . . . ' He 
loveth them,' says Theologus in one of his replies, 
4 he loveth them when he smiteth them. He 
favoreth them, when he seemeth to be most against 
them. He woundeth that he may heal them. If 
he bring them into necessities, it is but for a trial 
of their faith, love, patience, and diligence in 
prayer. If he cast them into the fire, it is not 



BUNYAN. 19 

to consume them, but to purge and refine them. 
If he bring them into great dangers, it is but to 
make them call upon him more earnestly for help 
and deliverance . . . The Lord oftentimes 
showeth us the terrible faces of troubles and dan- 
gers to make us cleave and cling fast unto him, 
and also to teach us to esteem better of his gifts 
when we enjoy them, and to be more thankful for 
them ; as health, wealth, peace, liberty, safety, and 
other blessings. So then still we see, here is 
nothing meant on God's part but good ; as it is 
written, all things work together for good to them 
that love God* For even the afflictions of God's 
children are so sanctified unto them by the Spirit 
that thereby they are made partakers of his holi- 
ness. Thereby they attain unto a greater measure 
of joy in the Holy Ghost. Thereby the world is 
crucified to them, and they to the world. Thereby 
they are made conformable to the death of Christ. 
Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of 
the world. Thereby they learn experience, pa- 
tience, hope, and so forth. So that, all things 
considered, God's children are no losers by their 
afflictions, but gainers. It is better for them to 
have them, than to be without them. . . . For 
to them the cross is mercy, and loss is gain . . . 
That estate which God will have his children to 
be in, is always best for them, because he who 
can best discern what is best, seeth it to be best 
for them ; whether it be sickness or health, 
poverty or plenty, prison or liberty, prosperity or 

*Heb. 12: 10 



20 LIFE OF 

adversity. For sometimes sickness is better for us 
than health, and poverty than plenty. Are there- 
fore, the children of God sick ? It is best for them. 
Are they poor ? It is best for them. Are they in 
any trouble ? It is best for them ; because their 
good Father will turn it to the best. He will 
oftentimes cut us short of our desires, because he 
seeth we will bane ourselves with them. He in 
fatherly care will take the knife from us ; because 
he seeth we will hurt ourselves vvdth it. He will 
keep us short of health and wealth, because he 
knoweth we will be the worse for them. He will 
not give us too much ease and prosperity in this 
world ; for he knoweth it will poison us. He will 
not allow us continual rest like standing ponds, for 
then he knoweth we will gather scum and filth. 
He dealeth fatherly and mercifully with us in 
all things ; even then seeking our greatest good, 
when we think he doeth us most harm. And to 
speak all in a word, He bringeth into troubles, 
and straits to this end especially, that he may hear 
of us. For he right well knoweth our nature, he 
is w T ell acquainted with our disposition : He 
knoweth we will not come to him, but when we 
stand in need of him. We care not for him, so 
long as all goeth well with us. But if we come 
into distress, or want any thing that we fain would 
have, then he is sure to hear of us ; as he saith by 
the prophet, In their affliction they will seek me 
early.* 

8 Behold here then,' it is added in the progress 

* Hosea 5 : 15. 



BUNYAN. 21 

of the discussion,' behold here then the patience 
of God's saints, and their humble submission unto 
his most holy will. They know all shall end 
well ; and that maketh them glad to think of it. I 
conclude then that the children of God are happy, 
in what state soever they are ; happy in trouble, 
happy out of trouble ; happy in poverty, happy in 
plenty ; blessed in sickness, blessed in health ; 
blessed at home likewise, and abroad, and every 
way blessed. But on the contrary, the wicked 
are cursed, in what state soever they are ; cursed 
in sickness, cursed in health, cursed in plenty, 
cursed in poverty, cursed in prosperity cursed in 
adversity, cursed in honor, cursed in dishonor ; for 
all things work together for their destruction. 
Nothing doeth them any good. They are not any- 
thing the better, either for God's mercies or for his 
judgments.' 

Contempt of the Gospel is set forth as a grievous 
sin, a characteristic of the age, and a token of 
God's displeasure ; swearing, to be visited with 
signal punishment. ' It may well indeed,' remarks 
the principal speaker, ' be called a sign of con- 
demnation. I think it more than a sign ; it is 
indeed an evident demonstration of a Reprobate. 
For I never knew any man truly pleasing God in. 
his heart, that was an usual and a common 
swearer.' Excuses for it ; its causes ; and its 
remedies. Punishments connected with Lying ; 
its excuses ; its causes ; and its remedies. The 
evil effects of Drunkenness ; its excuses ; its causes 
and its remedies. The woful effects of Idleness ; 
its causes and its remedies. Oppression, as a 



22 LIFE OF 

horrible sin ; the many woes denounced against 
oppressors ; various kinds of oppression ; its cau- 
ses ; and its remedies. Nine fore signs of coming 
judgments upon the land. 

The prayers and tears of the faithful keep back 
the wrath of God. The wicked fare the better for 
God's children. The best course to prevent the 
judgments of God. Nine signs of a sound soul : 
Reverence of God's name, Keeping of his Sabbaths, 
Truth, Sobriety, Industry, Compassion, Humility, 
Chastity, and Contrition. The apostle Peter's 
eight marks of salvation : Faith, Virtue, Know- 
ledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly 
Kindness, and Love. Seven evidences of a man's 
salvation : assured faith in the promises, sincerity 
of heart, the spirit of adoption, sound regeneration 
and sanctification, inward peace, groundedness in 
the truth, and continuance to the end. 

Assurance of salvation in this life ; — the proofs 
exhibited, and objections answered. The ground 
work of our salvation, the gracious and eternal 
purposes of God. Some doubts may stand with 
assurance. The wicked cannot be assured of 
their salvation. The security of which they boast 
is vain. Nine things required of every one that 
would be saved by Christ : 

He must be a new creature. 2 Cor. 5 : 27. He 
must live, not after the lusts of men, but after the 
will of God. 1 Pet. 4 : 2. He must be zealous 
of good works. Tit. 2 : 14. He must die to sin, 
and live to righteousness. Rom. 6 : 14. He must 
be holy and unblamable. Col. 1 : 23. He must 
so walk, even as Christ walked. 1 John 2 : 6. 



BUNYAN. 23 

He must crucify the flesh, with the affections and 
lusts. Gal. 5 : 24. He must walk, not after the 
flesh, but after the spirit. Rom. 8:1. And he must 
serve God in righteousness and true holiness all 
the days of his life. Luke 1 : 75. 

Few of those who say that they hope to be 
saved by Christ, can present any good evidence of 
their having a personal interest in his death. Few 
even among nominal Christians, have any good 
reason to think that they shall be saved. Objec- 
tions answered. The Holy Scriptures are to be 
read with diligence and seriousness. It is danger- 
ous to defer repentance. God was no author of 
man's condemnation, but himself. 

Objections against Predestination answered. 
4 Moreover,' says Theologus, * I answer that God's 
decree doth not enforce the will of man, which 
worketh and moveth of itself. It hath in itself the 
beginning of evil motion, and sinneth willingly. 
Therefore, though the decree of God imposeth 
a necessity upon all secondary causes, (so as they 
must needs be framed and disposed according to 
the same,) yet no co-action or constraint ; for they 
are all carried with their voluntary motion. Then 
as we see the plumb of a clock, being the first 
mover, doth cause all the other wheels to move, 
but not to move this way or that way ; for in that 
they move, some one way, and some another, it is 
of themselves ; I mean, of their own frame. So 
God's decree doth move all secondary causes, but 
takes not away their own proper motion. For God 
is the author of every action, but not of any evil 
in any action. As the soul of man is the original 



24 LIFE OF 

cause of all motion in man, as the philosophers 
dispute, but yet not of lame and imperfect motion, 
for that is from another cause, to wit, some defect 
in the body ; so I say, God's decree is the root and 
first cause of motion, but not of defective motion ; 
that is from ourselves. Likewise, that a bell 
soundeth, the cause is in him, that ringeth it ; but 
that it jarreth, the cause is in itself. Again, that 
an instrument soundeth is in him that playeth upon 
it ; but that it jarreth, is in itself; that is, in its 
own want of timing. So then, to shut up this 
point, — all instruments and middle causes are so 
moved of God being the first mover, that he always 
doth will holily and justly in his moving. But the 
instruments moved are carried in contrary motions, 
according to their own nature and frame. If they 
be good, they are carried to that which is good ; 
but if they be evil, they are carried unto evil. So 
that according to the double beginning of motion 
and will, there is a double and diverse work and 
effect.' 

God's decree was no cause of Adam's fair. . . . 
Reprobation asserted. Prescience in God. What, 
asks the Caviller, do you call prescience or fore- 
knowledge in God ? It is replied : ' Prescience, in 
God is that whereby all things abide present 
before his eyes ; so that to his eternal knowledge, 
nothing is past, nothing to come ; but all things 
are always present ; and they are so present that 
they are not as conceived imaginations, forms and 
motions ; but all things are always so present 
before God, that he doth behold them in their verity 
and perfection.' . . . Election — Its first motive 



BUNYAN. 25 

is in God himself. Faith is dependent upon elec- 
tion, and not election upon faith. Nine great 
hindrances to eternal life : infidelity, presumption 
of God's mercy, examples of the multitude, long 
custom of sin, long escaping of punishment, hope 
of long life, conceitedness, ill-company, and evil 
examples of ministers. 

The answers of the ignorant to the grounds of 
religion ; the means and the importance of being 
delivered from ignorance. The weighty charge 
of Ministers. What is the best course for Minis- 
ters to take to bring the people out of ignorance. 
What is the best course for the people to take that 
they may be delivered from the bondage of sin. 
Without preaching the people are in great danger 
of losing their souls. Satan's cunning in frustra- 
ting the hearing of the Word, and making all 
preaching utterly unprofitable. Six great dangers 
of sin. Six most hurtful effects of sin : — 

Sin hardens the heart. Heb. 3 : 23. 

Sin gnaws the conscience. 1 Sam. 25 : 

Sin fights against the soul. 1 Pet. 2 : 11. 

Sin brings forth death. James 1 : 15. 

Sin makes ashamed. Rom. 6 : 21. 

Sin procures plagues of body and soul. Deut. 28 : 

Every sin, though never so little in our eyes, is 
heinous and capital, because it is against a person 
of infinite majesty. Nine profitable considerations : 
What you have been ; What you are ; What you 
shall be ; What God hath done for you ; What he 
doeth ; What he will do ; His judgments past; His 
judgments present ; and His judgments to come. 
If men would leave words, and fall to doing, great 

3 



26 LIFE OF 

good would come of it. Christ's coming to judg- 
ment : — Its suddenness ; its terrible grandeur ; and 
its use. The misery of the soul that is lost, — 
extreme, perpetual, and remediless. 

On hearing these things, the Ignorant man 'is 
pricked in his conscience, bewails his former life, 
repents earnestly for his sin and ignorance, and 
desires spiritual medicine and comfort.' The 
Preacher administers them to him, and lays open 
to him the sweet promises of the Gospel, and the 
infinite mercy of God in Christ to all truly penitent 
and broken hearted sinners. 

The book of which a rapid sketch has now 
been given, may have contributed, even more than 
Bunyan himself was aware, to awaken his con- 
science and his intellect. 

The other book which he mentions, The Prac- 
tice of Piety, by Lewis Baily, Bishop of Bangor, 
was held in high esteem by the more devout in 
England and in other countries. It was written in 
the reign of James I., and dedicated to his son 
Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, and very 
young. It was early translated into French and 
other languages on the continent of Europe. * 
And we have recently met with a translation of it, 
probably by the apostolic Eliot, into the language 

* Devoirs de l'Ame Chrestienne, ou la Pratique de 
Piete, adiessante le Chrestien au chemin qu'il faut tenir 
pour aller a Dieu. Traduite de l'Anglois de L. Bayle, 
Docteur en Theologie, Ministre du S. Evangile, et 
Chappelain de sa Majestee Britannique. Derniere edition, 
corregee et mise en purete de la langue Francoise. A 
Saumur, 1675. (Pp. 574. 12mo.) 



BtJNYAN. 27 

of those American Indians among whom he 
labored in Massachusetts, printed at Cambridge, 
New England, in 1685. The English edition 
which we have consulted, is the seventy first ; and 
it was printed more than fifty years ago. The 
whole title of the book is, The Practice of Piety ; 
directing a Christian how to walk, that he may 
please God. 

The dedication to the young Prince contains 
a vivid sketch of the religious state of the people in 
the first half of the seventeenth century, and is a 
fair specimen of the commendable seriousness and 
zeal which characterize the whole work. ' Never,' 
it is remarked by the author, 'never was there 
more need of plain and unfeigned admonition ; for 
the comic poet, in that saying, seems but to have 
prophesied of our times : 

Obsequium amicos, Veritas odium parit. 

[If we flatter, we have friends ; if we speak the 
«,ruth, we are hated.] 

1 And no marvel, seeing that we are fallen into 
the dregs of time, which being the last, must needs 
be the worst days. And how can there be worse, 
seeing vanity knows not how to be vainer, nor 
wickedness how to be more wicked ? And whereas, 
heretofore, those have been counted most holy, 
who have showed themselves most zealous in their 
religion ; they are now reputed most discreet, 
who can make the least profession of their faith. 
And that these are the last days, appears evidently, 
because the security of men's eternal state has so 
overwhelmed (as Christ foretold it should) all sorts, 



28 LIFE OF 

that most who now live are become lovers of 
pleasures more than lovers of God. And of those 
who pretend to love God, O God ! what sanctified 
heart can but bleed to behold how seldom they 
come to prayers ; what strangers they are at 
the Lord's table ; how irreverently they hear God's 
word ; what assiduous spectators they are at stage 
plays ! where (being Christians) they can sport 
themselves to hear the vessels of the devil scoffing 
religion, and blasphemously abusing phrases of the 
Holy Scripture on their stages, as familiarly as 
they use their tobacco pipes in their bibbing houses. 
So that he who would now-a-days seek in most 
Christians for the power, shall scarce almost find 
the very show of godliness. Never was there 
more sinning, never less remorse for sin. Never 
was the judge nearer to come ; never was there so 
little preparation for his coming; and if the Bride- 
groom should now come, how many (who think 
themselves wise enough, and full of all knowledge) 
would be found foolish virgins, without one drop of 
the oil of saving faith in their lamps ! For the 
greatest wisdom of most men in this age consists 
in being wise, first to deceive others, and then 
to deceive themselves. 

* And if sometimes some good book falls into their 
hands, or some good motion cometh into their 
heads, whereby they are put in mind to consider 
the uncertainty of this life present, or how weak 
assurance they have of eternal life, if this were 
ended, and how they have some secret sins, for 
which they must needs repent here or be punished 
for them in hell hereafter ; — security then forthwith 



BTJNYAN. 29 

whispers the hypocrite in the ear, that though it be 
fit to think of these things, yet it is not yet time ; 
and that he is yet young enough (though he cannot 
but know that many millions as young as himself 
are already in hell for want ot timely repentance.) 
Presumption warrants him in the other ear, that 
he may have time hereafter, at his leisure, to 
repent ; and howsoever others die, yet he is far 
enough from death, and therefore may boldly take 
yet a longer time to enjoy his sweet pleasures, and 
to increase his wealth and greatness ; and here- 
upon (like Solomon's sluggard) he yields himself 
to a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little 
more folding of the hands to sleep in his former 
sins, till at last despair, (security's ugly handmaid) 
comes unlocked for, and shows him his hour glass, 
dolefully telling him, that his time is past, and that 
nothing now remains but to die and be damned. 
Let not this seem strange to any ; for too many 
have found it too true ; and more, without more 
grace, are like to be thus soothed to their end, and 
in the end snared to their endless perdition. 

'In my desire, therefore, of the common salva- 
tion, but especially of your Highness's everlasting 
welfare, I have endeavored to extract (out of the 
chaos of endless controversies) the old practice of 
true piety, which flourished before these contro- 
versies were hatched ; for which end my poor 
labors (in a short while) come now forth again 
under the gracious protection of your Highness's 
favor, and by their entertainment seem not to 
be altogether unwelcome to the church of Christ. 
If to be pious has in all ages been held the truest 



30 life or 

honor, how much more honorable is it, in so 
impious an age, to be the true patron and pattern 
of piety ! 

1 It is piety that embalms a Prince's good name, 
and makes his face to shine before men, and 
glorifies his soul among angels ; for as Moses's 
face, by often talking with God, shined in the eyes 
of the people, so by frequent praying (which is 
our talking with God) and hearing the word, 
(which is God speaking unto us,) we shall be 
changed from glory to glory, by the spirit of the 
Lord, to the image of the Lord ; and seeing this 
life is uncertain to all, (especially to Princes) what 
argument is more fit both for Princes and people to 
study, than that which teaches sinful man to deny 
himself, by mortifying his corruptions, that he may 
enjoy Christ the author of his salvation ; to re- 
nounce these false and momentary pleasures of the 
world, that he may attain to the true and eternal 
joys of heaven, and to make them truly honorable 
before God in piety, who are now only honorable 
before men in vanity ? What charges soever we 
spend in earthly vanities, for the most part they 
either die before us, or we shortly die after them ; 
but what we spend, like Mary, in the practice 
of piety, shall remain our true memorial forever ; 
for piety hath the promise of this life, and of that 
which shall never end ; but without piety there is 
no internal comfort to be found in conscience, nor 
external peace to be looked for in the world, 
nor any eternal happiness to be hoped for in 
heaven.' 

The book, a closely printed duodecimo volume 



BUN YAK. 31 

of three hundred pages, contains, 1. 'A plain des- 
cription of God in respect to his essence, person, 
and attributes, so far as every Christian should 
competently endeavor to learn and know; with 
sundry practical observations and meditations there- 
upon. 2. Meditations setting forth the miseries 
of a man in his life and death, that is not re- 
conciled to God in Christ. 3. Meditations of the 
blessed state both in life and death of a man that is 
reconciled to God in Christ; wherein thou shalt 
find not a few things worthy of thy reading and 
observation. 4 Meditations on seven hindrances 
which keep back a sinner from the practice of 
piety, necessary to be read of all, but especially of 
carnal gospellers in these times. 5. How to 
begin the morning with pious meditations and 
prayers. 6. How to read the Bible, with profit and 
ease, once over every year. 7. Morning prayer. 
Another shorter prayer for the morning. Another 
brief morning prayer. 8. Meditations how to walk 
with God all the day ; especially how to guide thy 
thoughts ; thy words ; thy actions. 9. Meditations 
for the evening. 10. An evening prayer. Ano- 
ther shorter evening prayer. 11. Things to be 
meditated upon as thou art going to bed. 12. 
Meditations of a godly householder. 13. A morn- 
ing prayer for a family. 14. Holy meditations 
and graces before and after dinner and supper. 

15. Rules to be observed in singing of Psalms. 

16. An evening prayer for a family. 17. A 
religious discourse of the Sabbath day, wherein is 
proved that the Sabbath was altered from the 
seventh to the first day of the week, not by human 



32 XIFE OF 

ordinance, but by Christ himself and his Apostles ; 
and that the fourth commandment is perpetual and 
moral under the New Testament as well as under 
the old ; and the true manner of sanctifying the 
Sabbath day is described out of the word of God. 

18. A morning prayer for the Sabbath day. 

19. An evening prayer for the Sabbath day. 

20. Meditations of the true manner of fasting, and 
giving of alms, out of the word of God. 21. The 
right manner of holy feasting. 22. Holy and 
devout meditations of the worthy and reverent 
receiving of the Lord's supper. 23. An humble 
confession of sins before the holy communion. 
24. A short soliloquy to be said a little before 
receiving the holy sacrament. 25. A prayer to 
be said after receiving the holy sacrament. 
26. Meditations how to behave thyself in the 
time of sickness. 27. A prayer when one begins 
to be sick. 28. Directions for making thy will, 
and setting thy house in order. 29. A prayer 
before the taking of medicine. 30. Meditations 
for one that is recovered from sickness, and a 
thanks giving. 31. Meditations for one that is like 
to die. 32. Meditations for the sick, taken from 
the end of God's chastisements. 33. A prayer to 
be said by one that is like to die. 34. Comforta- 
ble meditations against despair. 35. Directions 
for those who come to visit the sick. 36. A prayer 
to be said for the sick by those who visit him ; and 
choice scriptures to be read to him. 37. Consola- 
tions against impatience in sickness. 38. Con- 
solations against the fear of death. 39. Seven 
sanctified thoughts, and so many spiritual sighs fit 



BUNYAN. 33 

for a sick man that is like to die. 40. Of the 
comfortable use of true absolution and receiving of 
the Lord's supper, to the faithful and penitent, 
before they depart this life, if they may conveniently 
be had. 41 The last prayer of a godly man 
dying. 42. Meditations of martyrdom ; wherein 
it is proved that those who die for Popery, cannot 
be Christ's martyrs. 43. A colloquy between the 
soul and our Saviour, concerning the virtue and 
excellency of his sufferings. 44. The soul's 
soliloquy, ravished in contemplation of the suffer- 
ings of our Lord, the just for the unjust.' 

Such are the contents of one of the few books 
which addressed the understanding and conscience 
of Bunyan at a very important period of his 
life. This work, as well as the Plain Man's 
Pathway to Heaven, in the circumstances in which 
it claimed his attention may easily be conceived to 
have contributed much towards inducing him to 
break off, in some measure, from his vices, and 
resolve to become a religious man. It had, indeed, 
the great fault and disadvantage of seeming, for 
the most part, to assume that all its readers were 
already regenerate, and needed only to be led 
onward in the right way. It may have favored a 
few other errors here and there, or a few inaccurate 
statements of sound doctrine. And it may have 
been abused, as the very best means of grace may 
be, to the encouragement of a species of formalism. 
Yet, on the whole, it was salutary in its influence. 

Both of the books were adapted to make him set 
a high value on religion, and to constrain him 
to think on his ways. Speaking of these books 



34 LIFE OF 

and of the account given by his wife, relative 
to her father's piety, he says : ' Though they 
did not reach my heart, to awaken it about my sad 
and sinful state, yet they did beget within me some 
desires to reform my vicious life, and fall in very 
eagerly with the religion of the times ; to wit, 
to go to church twice a day, and that, too, with the 
foremost ; and there I would, very devoutly, both 
say and sing as others did, yet retaining my 
wicked life. But withal, I was so overrun with the 
spirit of superstition, that I adored, and that with 
great devotion, even all things (both the high 
place, priest, clerk, vestment, service, and what 
else) belonging to the church; counting all things 
holy that were therein contained, and especially the 
priest and clerk most happy, and, without doubt, 
greatly blessed, because they were the servants, as 
I then thought, of God, and were principal in 
the holy temple, to do his work therein. This 
conceit grew so strong, in a little time, upon 
my spirit, that had I but seen a priest, (though 
never so sordid and debauched in his life,) I should 
find my spirit fall under him, reverence him, 
and knit unto him. Yea, I thought, for the love I 
did bear unto them, (supposing they were the 
ministers of God,) I could have lain down at their 
feet, and have been trampled upon by them ; their 
name, their garb, and work, did so intoxicate and 
bewitch me. 

6 But all this while I was not sensible of the 
danger and evil of sin ; I was kept from consider- 
ing that sin would damn me, what religion soever 
I followed, unless I was found in Christ. Nay, I 



BUNYANi 35 

never thought of him, nor whether there was such 
a one, or no. Thus man, while blind, doth wan- 
der, but wearieth himself with vanity ; for he 
knoweth not the way to the city of God. 

' But one day, amongst all the sermons our par- 
son made, his subject was, to treat of the Sabbath 
day, and of the evil of breaking that, either with 
labor, sports, or otherwise. Now I was, notwith- 
standing my religion, one that took much delight in 
all manner of vice, and especially that was the day 
that I did solace myseif therewith. Wherefore I 
felt in my conscience under the sermon, thinking 
and believing that he made that sermon on purpose 
to show me my evil doing. And at that time 
I felt what guilt was, though never before, that 
I can remember ; but then I was, for the present, 
greatly loaded therewith, and so went home when 
the sermon was ended, with a great burthen upon 
my spirit. 

1 This, for an instant, did benumb the sinews of 
my best delights, and did embitter my former 
pleasures to me ; but hold, it lasted not ; for, 
before I had well dined, the trouhle began to go 
off my mind ; and my heart returned to its old 
course. But oh ! how glad was I, that this trou- 
ble was gone from me, and that the fire was put 
out, that I might sin again without control ! 
Wherefore, when I had satisfied nature with my 
food, I shook the sermon out of my mind ; and 
to my old custom of sports and gaming I returned 
with great delight. 

4 But the same day, as I was in the midst of 
a game of cat, and having struck it one blow from 



36 LIFE OF 

the hole, just as I was about to strike it the second 
time, a voice did suddenly dart from heaven into 
my soul, which said, ' Wilt thou leave thy sins and 
go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?' 
At this I was put to an exceeding maze : Where- 
fore, leaving my cat upon the ground, I looked up 
to heaven, and was as if I had, with the eyes 
of my understanding, seen the Lord Jesus looking 
down upon me as being very hotly displeased with 
me, and as if he did severely threaten me with 
some grievous punishment for these and other 
ungodly practices. 

4 1 had no sooner thus conceived in my mind, 
but suddenly this conclusion was fastened upon my 
spirit, (for the former hint did set my sins again 
before my face,) that I had been a great and 
grievous sinner, and that it was now too late 
for me to look after heaven ; for Christ would not 
forgive me, nor pardon my transgressions. Then 
I fell to musing on this also ; and while I was 
thinking of it, and fearing lest it should be so, 
I felt my heart sink in despair, concluding it was 
too late ; and therefore I resolved in my mind to 
go on in sin. For (thought I) if the case be thus, 
my state is surely miserable ; miserable if I 
leave my sins, and but miserable if I follow them ; 
I can but be damned, and if I must be so, I had as 
good be damned for many sins, as be damned for 
few. 

4 Thus I stood in the midst of my play, before 
all that then were present ; but yet I told them 
nothing. But, I say, having made this conclusion. 
I returned desperately to my sport again; and 



BUNYAN. 37 

I well remember, that, presently, this kind of des- 
pair did so possess my soul, that I was persuaded I 
could never attain to other comfort than what 
I should get in sin ; for heaven was gone already, 
so that on that I must not think. Wherefore 
I found within me great desire to take my fill of sin, 
still studying what sin was yet to be committed, 
that I might taste the sweetness of it ; and I made 
as much haste as I could to fill my belly with its 
delicacies, lest I should die before I had my 
desires ; for that I feared greatly. In these things 
I protest before God, I lie not, neither do I frame 
this sort of speech. These were really, strongly, 
and with all my heart, my desires. The good 
Lord, whose mercy is unsearchable, forgive my 
transgressions ! 

6 And I am very confident, that this temptation 
of the devil is more usual among poor creatures 
than many are aware of, even to overrun the 
spirits with a scurvy and seared frame of heart, and 
benumbing of conscience ; which frame he stilly 
and slily supplieth with such despair, that though 
not much guilt attendeth souls, yet they continually 
have a secret conclusion within them, that there is 
no hope for them ; for they have loved sins, there- 
fore after them they will go.* 

' Now, therefore, I went on in sin with great 
greediness of mind, still grudging that I could not 
be satisfied with it as I would. This did continue 
with me about a month or more. But one day, as 
I was standing at a neighbor's shop window, and 
there cursing and swearing, and playing the mad- 

*Jer. 2: 25, and 18: 12. 
4 



38 BUNYAW. 

man, after my wonted manner, there sat within the 
woman of the house, and heard me ; who, though 
she was a very loose and ungodly wretch, yet 
protested that I cursed and swore at that most 
fearful rate, that she was made to tremble to hear 
me, and told me further, that I was the ungodliest 
fellow for swearing that she ever heard in all her 
life, and that I, by thus doing, was able to spoil all 
the youth in the whole town, if they came but 
in my company. 

1 At this reproof I was silenced, and put to secret 
shame, and that, too, as I thought, before the God 
of heaven. Wherefore, while I stood there, and 
hanging down my head, I wished with all my 
heart that I might be a little child again, that my 
father might teach me to speak without this 
wicked way of swearing ; for, (thought 1)1 am so 
accustomed to it, that it is in vain for me to think 
of a reformation, for I thought that could never be. 
But how it came to pass, I know not ; I did, from 
this time forward, so leave my swearing, that 
it was a great wonder to myself to observe it ; and 
whereas, before, I knew not how to speak unless I 
put an oath before and another behind, to make 
my words have authority ; now I could, without 
it, speak better and with more pleasantness than 
ever I could before. All this while I knew not 
Jesus Christ, neither did leave my sports and 
plays. 

1 But quickly after this, I fell into company with 
one poor man that made professsion of religion, 
who, as I then thought, did talk pleasantly of 
the Scriptures, and of the matter of religion. 



BUNYAN. 39 

Wherefore, falling into some love and liking to 
what he said, I betook me to my Bible, and began 
to take great pleasure in reading, but especially 
with the historical part thereof; for as for Paul's 
epistles, and such like Scriptures, I could not away 
with them, not knowing as yet either the corrup- 
tion of my nature or the want and worth of Jesus 
Christ to save us. 

1 Wherefore, I fell to some outward reformation, 
both in my words and in my life, and did set 
the commandments before me for my way to 
heaven, which commandments I also did strive to 
keep, and, as I thought, did keep them pretty well 
sometimes, and then I should have comfort; yet 
now and then should break one, and so afflict my 
conscience : but then I should repent, and say, 
I was sorry for it, and promise God to do better 
next time, and there got help again ; for then 
I thought I pleased God as well as any man in 
England. 

i Thus I continued about a year; all which 
time our neighbors did take me to be a very godly 
man, a new and religious man, and did marvel 
much to see such great and famous alteration 
in my life and manners ; and indeed, so it was, 
though I knew not Christ, nor grace, nor faith, nor 
hope ; for, as I have well since seen, had I 
then died, my state had been most fearful. But, I 
say, my neighbors were amazed at this my great 
conversion from prodigious profaneness to some- 
thing like a moral life. And truly, so they well 
might be ; for this my conversion was as great, as 
for Tom of Bedlam to become a sober man. Now 



40 LIFE OF 

therefore they began to praise, to commend, and 
to speak well of me, both to my face and behind 
my back. Now I was, as they said, become 
godly; now I was become a right honest man. 
But oh ! when I understood those were their 
words and opinions of me ; it pleased me mighty 
well. For though as yet I was nothing but a poor 
painted hypocrite, yet I loved to be talked of as one 
that was truly godly. I was proud of my godli- 
ness ; and indeed, I did all I did, either to be seen 
of men or to be well spoken of by them. 

1 But poor wretch as I was ! I was all this 
while ignorant of Jesus Christ, and going about to 
establish my own righteousness ; and had perished 
therein, had not God, in mercy, showed me more 
of my state by nature. But upon a day, the good 
Providence of God called me to Bedford to work on 
my calling ; and in one of the streets of that town, 
I came where there were three or four poor 
women sitting at a door, in the sun, talking about 
the things of God ; and being now willing to hear 
their discourse, I drew near to hear what they 
said ; for I was now a brisk talker of myself in 
matters of religion. But I may say, I heard, but I 
understood not ; for they were far above out of my 
reach. Their talk was about a new birth, the 
work of God in their hearts ; as also how they 
were convinced of their miserable state, — how 
God had visited their souls with his love in the 
Lord Jesus, and with what words and promises 
they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported. 

1 And methought they spake as if joy did make 
them speak. They spake with such pleasantness 



BUNYAN, 41 

of Scripture language, and with such appearance 
of grace in all they said, that they were to me as 
if they had found a new world ; as if they were 
people that dwelt alone, and were not to be reckoned 
among their neighbors. 

1 At this I felt my own heart began to shake, and 
mistrust my condition to be naught ; for I saw that 
in all my thoughts about religion and salvation, 
the new birth did never enter into my mind ; 
neither knew I the comfort of the word and 
promise, nor the deceitfulness and treachery of my 
own wicked heart. As for secret thoughts, I took 
no notice of them ; neither did I understand what 
Satan's temptations were, nor how they were to be 
withstood and resisted. 

1 Thus, therefore, when I had heard and con- 
siderecl what they said, I left them, and went about 
my employment again. But their talk and dis- 
course went with me ; also my heart would tarry 
with them, for I was greatly affected with their 
words, both because by them I was convinced that 
I wanted the true tokens of a truly godly man, and 
also because by them I was convinced of the 
happy and blessed condition of him that was such 
a one. Therefore, I would often make it my 
business to be going again and again into the 
company of these poor people, for I could not stay 
away ; and the more I went among them, the 
more I did question my condition ; and, as I still 
do remember, presently I found two things within 
me, at which I did sometimes marvel, (especially 
considering what a blind, ignorant, sordid and 
ungodly wretch but just before I was.) The one 



42 LIFE OF 

was a very great softness and tenderness of heart, 
which caused me to fall under the conviction 
of what by Scripture they asserted ; and the other 
was a great bending in my mind to a continual 
meditating on it, and on all other good things, 
which at any time I heard or read of. 

'By these things my mind was now so turned 
that it lay like a horse -leech at the vein, still 
crying out, Give, give, which was so fixed on 
eternity, and on the things about the kingdom of 
heaven, (that is, so far as I knew, though as yet 
I knew but little,) that neither pleasures, nor 
profits, nor persuasions, nor threats could loose it* 
or make let go its hold ; and though I may speak 
it with shame, yet it is in very deed a certain 
truth, it would then have been as difficult for me to 
have taken my mind from heaven to earth, as 
I [have found it often since, to get it again from 
earth to heaven. 

'About this time I met with some Ranters' 
books that were put forth by some of our country- 
men, which books were also highly in esteem by 
several old professors. Some of these I read, but 
was not .able to make any judgment about them ; 
wherefore, as I read in them and thought upon 
them, seeing myself unable to judge, I would 
betake myself to hearty prayer in this manner : — 
O Lord, I am a fool, and not able to know the 
truth from error. Lord, leave me not to my own 
blindness either to approve of or condemn this 
doctrine ; if it be of God, let me not despise it ; if 
it be of the devil, let me not embrace it. Lord, I 
lay my soul in this matter only at thy foot ; let me 



BUNYAN. 43 

not be deceived, I humbly beseech thee. — I had 
one religious intimate companion all this while, 
and that was the poor man I spoke of before ; but, 
about this time, he also turned a most develish 
Ranter, and gave himself up to all manner of 
iilthiness, especially uncleanness. He would also 
deny that there was a God, angel, or spirit, and 
would laugh at all exhortations to sobriety. When 
I labored to rebuke his wickedness, he would 
laugh the more, and pretend that he had gone 
through all religions, and could never hit upon the 
right till now. He told me also, that in a little 
time I should see all professors turn to the ways of 
the Ranters. Wherefore, abominating those cursed 
principles, I left his company forthwith, and became 
to him as great a stranger as I had before been a 
familiar. 

i Neither was this man only a temptation to me, 
but, my calling lying in the country, I happened to 
come into several people's company, who, though 
strict in religion formerly, were also drawn away 
by these Ranters. These would also talk with me 
of their ways, and condemn me as legal and dark ; 
pretending that they only had attained to perfection, 
that could do what they would and not sin. Oh ! 
these temptations were suitable to my flesh, I 
being but a young man, and my nature in its 
prime ; but God who had, as I hoped, designed me 
for better things, kept me in the fear of his name, 
and did not suffer me to accept such cursed princi- 
ples. And, blessed be God, who put it into my 
heart to cry to him to be kept and directed, still 
distrusting mine own wisdom ! for I have since 



44 IIFE OF 

seen even the effects of that prayer in his preserv- 
ing me not only from ranting errors, but from 
those also that have sprung up since. The Bible 
was precious to me in those days. 

6 And now methought I began to look into the 
Bible with new eyes, and read as I never did 
before ; and especially the epistles of the Apostle 
St. Paul were sweet and pleasant to me ; and, 
indeed, then I was never out of the Bible, either by 
reading or meditation, still crying out to God that 
I might know the truth and the way to heaven and 
glory.' 

Here we have arrived at a point in the life of 
Bunyan where it may be useful to pause, and sur- 
vey some of the particular incidents through which 
he was conducted to this point. 

In early childhood, it seems, he was taught by his 
father ' to speak without this wicked way of swearing. ' 
This he recollected, upon being severely rebuked 
for his profaneness, when it had become with him 
a fixed habit ; and the recollection, combined with 
the rebuke, made him wish with all his heart, to 
be a little child again under the instruction of his 
father. It was the means of wonderfully reform- 
ing him in respect to that vice, and of cherishing 
in him a reverence for God. That poor and illit- 
erate father's religious teaching, however feeble 
and imperfect it may have been, was not lost. 

He was early sent to school by his parents, that 
he might learn to read and write. Amidst his 
youthful follies, he may have forgotten much of the 
little which he had learnt. But he could soon 
regain it all ; and it was inexpressibly important 



BUNYAN. 45 

to possess the elements of improvement. If these 
had been entirely neglected in his childhood, they 
would, it is almost certain, have continued to be 
neglected. He would never have read the Bible 
nor other religious books. He would have been 
debarred effectually from some of the most import- 
ant means of admonition ; and instead of the. rich 
and perpetual fruits of his Christian character, and 
of his ministry and authorship, there would, most 
probably, have been only the sad and unheeded 
record of an obscure malefactor's doom 

He had a discreet wife, who was religiously 
inclined. Her value was above that of rubies. 
She allured him to the reading of books which 
awakened his conscience, and to the house of God. 
Those two books, the Plain Man's Pathway to 
Heaven, and the Practice of Piety, which she had 
received as her dowry from the hands of a father, 
the remembrance of whose Christian life was fra- 
grant and attractive, were of more real value to 
Bunyan than a princely fortune has been to many 
a son-in-law. They called his attention earnestly 
to the concerns of his soul. They presented much 
Christian truth. They gave many timely admoni- 
tions. They pointed out and urged many duties 
which no man can safely neglect. They urged 
him to fervent prayer and to the diligent reading 
of the Holy Scriptures. They helped to make him 
a regular attendant on public worshrp; where, 
upon hearing a certain sermon, one day, he ' felt 
what guilt was.' But he needed something more, 
and this the grace of God, at length, gave him to 
perceive. 



46 LIFE OP 

While struggling under convictions of sin, tossed 
with temptations, and striving to establish his own 
righteousness, as men in circumstances like his 
are prone to do, he listened to the religious conver- 
sation of Christians whose hearts were glowing 
with love and gratitude to the Saviour. He heard 
the three or four poor women, sitting at the door, 
in one of the streets of Bedford, engaged in con- 
versing on the new birth, the work of God in their 
hearts, telling how they w T ere convinced of their 
sinfulness ; how God had visited their souls with 
his love in the Lord Jesus : and with what words 
and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, 
and supported. That scene most deeply impressed 
his heart. It opened to his view, as it were, a 
new world. And while he beheld, and listened, 
he seems to have been, himself, tranformed by the 
renewing of his mind. * They spake,' he remarks 
with a simple and touching pathos, 'they spake as 
if joy did make them speak. They spake with 
such pleasantness of scripture language, and with 
such appearance of grace in all they said, that they 
were to me as if they had found a new world.' 

The conversion of Bunyan, however, is not to 
be ascribed, exclusively, to any one particular inci- 
dent, as the means. There was a series of inci- 
dents, each of which was important in its place. 
Early parental instruction, -early instruction at 
school, the* influences of a virtuous wife, of a few 
religious books, of a faithful sermon, of a severe 
rebuke, and of conversation worthy of the sons 
and daughters of the Lord Almighty, and innumer- 
able other things, some of which we know, and 



BUNYAN. 47 

some of which we do not know, are to be regarded 
as links in the chain of events leading, under God, 
to the great and happy result. 



From Ms falling into a state of Doubt and Despond* 
ency to his being delivered from that state. 

Soon after the time when Bunyan became so 
much attached to those who were manifestly chil- 
dren of God, in the best sense of the phrase ; when 
the Bible seemed to him so new and precious ; 
when, in view of its declarations, he had a very 
great softness and tenderness of heart, and a great 
bending in his mind to a continual meditating on 
it, and on all other good things; sood after this 
very time of unwonted interest, and light, and love, 
he fell into a state of doubt and despondency. For 
several long years, he continued in darkness and 
unutterable suffering, relieved only now and then, 
for a while, by some gleams of hope and heavenly 
joy. At length, he passed quite through the dread- 
ful ' Slough of Despond ;' and, after many a hard 
conflict, he came to a better understanding of the 
scriptures and to a confirmation of his faith in 
Christ, as the source of our being enlightened and 
forgiven, and made holy and happy forever ; who 
of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, 
sanctifieation, and redemption.* 

But how did it occur that he fell into that unhap- 

* 1 Cor. 1 : 30. 



48 LIFE OF 

py state of mind ? He has himself given the fol- 
lowing simple and touching account. 

1 As I went on and read, I hit upon that passage, 
To one is given by the Spirit the icord of wisdom ; 
to another, the word of knowledge by4he same Spi- 
rit ; and to another, faith; and so forth.* And 
though, as I have since seen, that by this scrip, 
ture the Holy Ghost intends, in special, things 
extraordinary ; yet on me it did then fasten with 
conviction, that I did want things ordinary, even 
that understanding and wisdom that other Chris- 
tians had. On this word I mused, and could not 
tell what to do ; especially this word faith put me 
to it ; for I could not help it, but sometimes must 
question whether I had any faith or no ; but I was 
loath to conclude I had no faith ; for if I do so, 
thought I, then I shall count myself a very cast- 
away indeed. I could not rest content until I did 
now come to some certain knowledge whether I 
had faith or no ; this always running in my mind, 
But how if you want faith indeed ? But how can 
you tell you have faith 1 And besides, I saw for 
certain, if I had not, I was sure to perish forever. 
So that, though I endeavoured at the first to look 
over the business of faith, yet in a little time, I 
better considering the matter, was willing to put 
myself upon the trial whether I had faith or no. 
But, alas, poor wretch! so ignorant and brutish 
was I, that I knew not any more how to do it than 
I know how to begin and accomplish that rare and 
curious piece of art which I never yet saw or con- 
sidered. Wherefore, while I w r as thus consider- 

* 1 Cor. 12 : S, 9. 



BtJNYAN. 49 

ing, and being put to a plunge about it, (for you 
must know that as yet I had not in this matter 
broken my mind to any one, only I did hear and 
consider,) the tempter came in with this delusion, 
and there was no way for me to know I had faith 
but by trying to work some miracles ; urg- 
ing those scriptures that seem to look that way 
for the enforcing and strengthening of his tempt- 
ation.' 

Here, in the first place, there was a mistake as 
to the meaning and application of the word faith, 
in the passage read, 1 Cor. 12 : 9 ; and, in the 
second place, there was, what is ever dangerous, a 
seeking for some evidence or assurance of one's 
having faith or being a believer, aside from the 
proper fruit of believing, namely, an earnest, child- 
like desire to do the will of our heavenly Father. 
Such a desire will be likely to manifest itself by 
corresponding affections and acts. It is, too, a 
desire of which the believer may be conscious. 
His filial temper may testify to him that he is a 
child of God. If he has faith, it will work by 
love. If ye love ,me, says the Saviour, keep my 
commandments. Our Lord does not say, Wait till 
ye receive some miraculous sign of your good 
estate ; and then begin to obey and honor me as 
his disciples. He would have us, unworthy as we 
are, so trust in him as to leave ourselves in his 
hands, and rely entirely on his merits. He would 
have us so sincerely and earnestly engaged in 
serving him, as to preclude any question as to our 
being his servants. And if any doubt arise, he 
would have us find the evidence of our belong- 

5 



50 LIFE OF 

ing to him in our doing, spontaneously and with 
all the heart, whatever he has required. Ye 
are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command 
you* 

But men are exceedingly prone to look in some 
wrong direction for evidence of their faith. In 
doing this, many a true believer has been beguiled 
into the neglect of present duties, and been led 
into darkness. 

Such, it seems, was the case with Bunyan. But 
such was not the case with Paul. Bunyan, timid 
and retiring, had as yet concealed his Teligious 
experience in his own bosom. Very imperfectly 
instructed, and comparatively alone, he knew not 
what to do. Paul was in widely different circum- 
stances. He, in the midst of primitive illumi- 
nations, was specially directed what to do ; and 
he did it. He arose, and was baptized. He 
took his place promptly as a decided and active 
Christian. 

Bunyan suffered much perplexity and distress ; 
and, instead of attaining to any comfortable evi- 
dence of his having faith in Christ, he began to be 
assailed with fresh doubts ; ' especially,' he says, 
i with such as these : Whether I was elected ? But 
how, if the day of grace should now be past and 
gone ? By these two temptations I was very much 
afflicted and disquieted, sometimes by one and some- 
times by the other of them. And first, to speak of 
that about questioning my election, I found at this 
time, that though I was in a flame to find the way 
to heaven and glory, and though nothing could beat 

* John 15 : 14. 



BUN Y AN, 51 

me off from this ; yet this question did so offend 
and discourage me, that I was, especially some- 
times, as if the very strength of my body also had 
been taken away by the force and power thereof. 
This scripture did also seem to me to trample upon 
all my desires : It is neither of him that willeth, 
nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth 
mercy.* With this scripture I could not tell what 
to do; for I evidently saw, that unless the great 
God, of his infinite grace and bounty, had volunta- 
rily chosen me to be a vessel of mercy, though I 
should desire, and long, and labor, until my heart 
did break, no good would come of it. Therefore 
this would stick with me, — How can you tell that 
you are elected? and, What if you should not be ? 
How then ? O Lord, (thought I) what if I should 
not be indeed ? It may be you are not, said the 
tempter. It may be so indeed, thought I. Why 
then (said Satan) you had as good leave off, and 
strive no farther ; for if indeed you should not be 
elected and chosen of God, there is no hope of 
your being saved ; for it is neither in him that 
willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God, that 
showeth mercy. 

1 By these things I was driven to my wit's end, 
not knowing what to say, or how to answer these 
temptations. Indeed, I little thought that Satan 
had thus assaulted me, but that rather it was my 
own prudence thus to start the question ; for, that 
the elect only obtained eternal life, — that I, with- 
out scruple did heartily close withal ; but that 
myself was one of them, there lay the question.' 

* Rom. 9 : 16. 



52 LIFE OF 

Bunyan, it hence appears, was not yet aware 
that it was a very improper question ; and that, 
instead of requiring or expecting from God a new 
revelation or sign from heaven, in reply to such an 
inquiry, he should have asked himself, Do I loathe 
my sins ? Do I look to Jesus Christ and him cru- 
cified, as my only hope of deliverance ? and do I 
cry, from my very heart, Lord, what wilt thou have 
me to do ? 

'For several days,' he adds, 'I was greatly 
assaulted and perplexed, and was often, when I 
have been walking, ready to sink where I went, 
with faintness in my mind. But one day, after I 
had been so many weeks oppressed and cast down, 
as I was now quite giving up the ghost of all my 
hopes of ever attaining life, that sentence fell with 
weight upon my spirit, Look at the generations of 
old, and see, did ever any trust in God, and were 
confounded V 

This consideration deeply impressed his mind, 
and gave him much relief and encouragement. 
He looked for the passage in the Bible, but did not 
find it for more than a year. At last, casting his 
eye upon the apocryphal books, he found it in 
Ecclesiasticus 2 : 16. 'This,' he says, 'at the 
first did somewhat daunt me ; but because by this 
time I had got more experience of the love and 
kindness of God, it troubled me the less, especially 
when I considered, that, though it was not in those 
texts that we call holy and canonical, yet, foras- 
much as this sentence was the sum and substance 
of many of the promises, it was my duty to take 
the comfort of it. And I bless God for that word ; 



BUNYAN. 53 

for it was good to me. That word doth still oft- 
times shine before my face.' 

Next after this, Bunyan, whose mind, it would 
seem, was now in a lacerated and morbid state, 
was sadly afflicted by that other doubt. ' But how 
if the day of grace should be past and gone ?' With 
this fear he was long troubled ; but when he was 

* scarce able to take one step more,' he was 
encouraged by the vivid recollection of that instruct- 
ive passage in the Gospel of Luke, Compel them 
to come in, that my house may be filled ; . . . and 
yet there is roo?n* i These words,' he remarks, 

* but especially the last, and yet there is room, 
were sweet words to me.' 

Soon his despondency assumed a somewhat dif- 
ferent form. He was under the gloomy apprehen- 
sion that he was not called, as those must be here 
who are to be glorified with Christ in another 
world. ' Again, I was at a very great stand, not 
knowing what to do, fearing I was not called. 
For, thought I, if I be not called, what then can do 
me good? None but those, who are effectually 
called inherit the kingdom of heaven. But oh ! 
how I now loved those words that spoke of a 
Christian's calling ! as when the Lord said to one, 
Follow me ; and to another, Come after me. And 
oh ! thought I, that he would say so to me too : 
how gladly would I run after him ! I cannot now 
express with what longings and breathings in 
my soul I cried to Christ to call me. Thus I con- 
tinued for a time, all on a flame to be converted to 
Jesus Christ; and did also see at that day such 

* Luke 14 : 22, 23. 



54 LIFE OF 

glory in a converted state, that I could not be con- 
tented without a share therein. Gold ! could it 
have been gotten for gold, what would I have 
given for it ! Had I had a whole world, it had 
all gone ten thousand times over for this, that 
my soul might have been in a converted state. 
How lovely now was every one in my eyes, that I 
thought to be converted men and women ! They 
shone, they walked like a people that carried the 
broad seal of heaven about them. Oh ! I saw the 
lot was fallen to them in 'pleasant places, and they 
had a goodly heritage* But that which made me 
sick was that of Christ in St. Mark :j" He went up 
into a mountain, and called to him whom he would ; 
and they came unto him. This scripture made me 
faint and fear; yet it kindled fire in my soul. 
That which made me fear was this, — lest Christ 
should have no liking to me ; for he called whom 
he would. ... At last, after much time spent, 
and many groans to God, that I might be made 
partaker of the holy and heavenly calling, that 
word came in upon me, I will cleanse their blood, 
that I have not cleansed; for the Lord dwelleth in 
ZionS% 

Here it is painfully interesting to perceive, that, 
in the simple childhood of his religious knowledge, 
his distress, caused by the misapplication of one 
passage, was mitigated by the misapplication of 
another. Would that it had been entirely removed 
by right views of all the passages concerned, and 
what fhe Lord requires from the humble and con- 
trite, the laboring and heaven laden ! 

* Ps. 16 : 5. f Chap. 3 : 13. J Joel 3 : 21. 



BUNYAN. 55 

The pious females whose religious conversation 
Bunyan had overheard, belonged to a church of 
which a Mr. Gifford was the pastor. He had 
been a major in the king's army ; and, after the 
defeat of his party, he had been engaged in the 
unsuccessful insurrection, in Kent, against the 
Commonwealth. He and eleven others were to 
be hanged. His sister visited him in prison the 
night before the intended execution. Finding the 
guards asleep, she persuaded him to attempt his 
escape. His fellow prisoners had so stupified 
themselves by excessive drinking as to be unable 
to make the effort ; and he alone escaped. He 
lay concealed in a ditch two or three days. Then, 
in disguise, he was conveyed by his friends to 
London, and, subsequently to Bedfordshire ; and 
was harbored there, so long as it was neces- 
sary, by certain royalists of high rank. After* 
wards, he entered upon the practice of medicine 
in Bedford. 

; Gifford,' to use the words of Southey, : was at 
that time leading a profligate and reckless life, like 
many of his fellow- sufferers whose fortunes had 
been wrecked in the general calamity. He was a 
great drinker, a gambler, and oaths came from 
his lips with habitual profaneness. Some of his 
actions indeed are said to have evinced as much 
extravagance of mind as wickedness of heart ; and 
he hated the Puritans so heartily for the misery 
which they had brought upon the nation, and upon 
himself in particular, that he often thought of kill- 
ing a certain Anthony Harrington, for no other 
provocation than because he was a leading man 



56 LIFE OF 

among persons of that description in Bedford. For 
a heart and mind thus diseased there is but one 
cure ; and that cure was vouchsafed at a moment 
when his bane seemed before him. He had lost, 
one night, about fifteen pounds in gambling — a 
large sum for one so circumstanced. The loss 
made him furious, ' and many desperate thoughts 
against God ' arose in him ; when, looking into 
one of the books of Robert Bolton, what he read 
in it startled him into a sense of his own condition. 
He continued some weeks under the weight of that 
feeling ; and when it passed away, it left him in so 
exalted and yet so happy a state of mind, that 
from that time till within a few days of his death, 
he declared — ' he lost not the sight of God's coun- 
tenance — no, not for an hour.' And now he 
inquired after the meetings of the persons whom 
he had formerly most despised, and ' being natu- 
rally bold, would thrust himself again and again 
into their company, both together and apart.' 
They at first regarded him with jealousy ; nor 
when they were persuaded that he was sincere, 
did they readily encourage him in his desire to 
preach ; nor after he had made himself acceptable 
as a preacher, both in private and public trials, 
were they forward to form themselves into a dis- 
tinct congregation under his care, — ' the more 
ancient professors being used to live, as some other 
good men of those times, without regard to such 
separate and close communion.' At length, eleven 
persons, of whom Anthony Harrington was one, 
came to that determination, and chose him for 
their pastor ; the principle upon which they enter- 



BUNYAN. 57 

ed into this fellowship one with another, and after- 
ward admitted those who should desire to join 
them, being faith in Christ and holiness of life, 
without respect to any difference in outward or cir- 
cumstantial things.' 

Bunyan, alluding to his being somewhat com- 
forted with the hope, that, if he were not already 
converted, the time might come when he would 
be, says — 4 About this time I began to break my 
mind to those poor people in Bedford, and to tell 
them my condition ; which when they had heard, 
they told Mr. Gifford of me ; who himself also 
took occasion to talk with me ; and was willing to 
be well persuaded of me, though I think from little 
grounds. But he invited me to his house, where I 
should hear him confer with others, about the deal- 
ings of God with their souls. From all which I 
still received more conviction, and from that time 
began to see something of the vanity and inward 
wretchedness of my wicked heart ; for as yet I 
knew no great matter therein ; but now it began 
to be discovered unto me, and also to work at that 
rate as it never did before. Now I evidently 
found, that lusts and corruptions put forth them- 
selves within me, in wicked thoughts and desires, 
which I did not regard before. My de-sires also 
for heaven and life began to fail. I found also, 
that whereas before, my soul was full of longing 
after God, now it began to hanker after every 
foolish vanity ; yea, my heart would not be moved 
to mind that which was good. It began to be 
careless both of my soul and heaven. It would 
now continually hang back, both to and in every 



58 LIFE OF 

duty, and was as a clog on the leg of a bird, to 
hinder him from flying. Nay, I thought, now I 
grow worse and worse ; now I am farther from 
conversion than ever I was before. Wherefore, I 
began to sink greatly in my soul, and began to 
entertain such discouragement in my heart, as laid 
me as low as hell. If now I should have burned 
at the stake, I could not believe that Christ had a 
love for me. Alas ! I could neither hear him, nor 
see him, nor feel him, nor savor any of his things. 
I was driven as with a tempest ; my heart would 
be unclean ; and the Canaanites would dwell in 
the land. 

Further, in these days, I would find my heart to 
shut itself up against the Lord, and against his holy 
word. I have found my unbelief to set, as it were, 
the shoulder to the door, to keep him out ; and that 
too even then, when I have with many a bitter 
sigh cried, Good Lord, break it open ; Lord, break 
these gates of brass, and cut these bars of iron 
asunder * Yet that word would sometimes create 
in my heart a peaceable pause, — I girded thee, 
though thou hast not known me."\ 

1 But all this while, as to the act of sinning, I 
was never more tender than now. I durst not 
take a pin or stick, though but so big as a straw ; 
for my conscience now was sore, and would smart 
at every touch. I could not now tell how to speak 
my words, for fear I should misplace them. Oh, 
how cautiously did I then go, in all I did or said ! 
I found myself as in a miry bog, that shook if I did 
but stir ; and was, as there, left both of God and 

* Ps. 107 : 16. f Is. 14 : 5. 



BUNYAN. 59 

Christ, and the Spirit, and all good things. But I 
observed, though I was such a great sinner before 
conversion, yet God never much charged the guilt 
of the sins of my ignorance upon me. Only he 
showed me, I was lost if I had not Christ ; because 
I had been a sinner. I saw that I wanted a per- 
fect righteousness to present me without fault 
before God ; and this righteousness was no where 
to be found but in the person of Jesus Christ. 
But my original and inward pollution, — that, that 
was my plague and affliction ; that I saw at a 
dreadful rate, always putting forth itself within me ; 
that I had the guilt of, to amazement ; by reason 
of that, I was more loathsome in mine own eyes 
than a toad, and I thought I was so in God's eyes 
too. Sin and corruption, I said, would as naturally 
bubble out of my heart, as water would bubble out 
of a fountain. I thought now, that every one had 
a better heart than I had ; I would have exchanged 
heart with any body ; I thought that none but the 
devil himself could be equal to me for inward 
wickedness and pollution of mind. I fell, there- 
fore, at the sight of my own vileness, deeply in 
despair ; for I concluded, that this condition that I 
was in could not stand with a state of grace. 
Sure, thought I, I am forsaken of God ; sure, I am 
given up to the devil, and to a reprobate mind. 
And thus I continued a long while, even for some 
years together. 

'And though^I was much troubled, and tossed, 
and afflicted, with the sight, and sense, and terror 
of my own wickedness, yet I was afraid to let this 
sight and sense go quite off my mind ; for I found, 



60 LIFE OF 

that unless guilt of conscience was taken off the 
right way, that is, by the blood of Christ, a man 
grew rather worse for the loss of his trouble of 
mind, than for trouble. Wherefore, if my guilt lay 
hard upon me, then would I cry that the blood of 
Christ might take it off; and it was going off with- 
out it, (for the sense of sin would be sometimes as 
if it would die, and go quite away,) then I would 
also strive to fetch it upon my heart again ; and 
would cry, Lord, let it not go off my heart, but the 
right way, by the blood of Christ, and the applica- 
tion of thy mercy, through him, to my soul. For 
that scripture did lie much upon me, Without the 
shedding of blood there is no remission ;* and that 
which made me the more afraid of this was, I had 
seen some, who, though they were under the 
wounds of conscience, would cry and pray ; yet 
feeling rather present ease for their trouble than 
pardon for their sin, cared not how they lost their 
guilt, so they got it out of their mind. Now, hav- 
ing got it off the wrong way, it was not sanctified 
unto them ; but they grew harder and blinder, and 
more wicked after their trouble. This made me 
afraid, and made me cry to God the more, that it 
might not be so with me.' 

At length, he was greatly comforted, in hearing 
a sermon on the love of Christ ; especially when 
the preacher addressed such as were assaulted and 
afflicted with temptations. ' Then,' he says, ' I 
began to give place to the word, which, with 
power, did over and over make this joyful sound 
within my soul, Thou art my love, thou art my 

*Heb 9:22. 



BUNYAff. 



61 



love ; and nothing shall separate thee from my 
love. And with that my heart was filled full of 
comfort and hope : and now I could believe that 
my sins would be forgiven me ; yea, I was now so 
taken with the love and mercy of God, that I 
remember, I could not tell how to contain till I got 
home. I thought I could have spoken of his love, 
and have told of his mercy to me, even to the very 
crows that sat upon the plowed lands before me, 
had they been capable to have understood me. 
Wherefore I said in my soul, with much gladness, 
Well, would I had a pen and ink here, I would 
write this down before I go any farther, for surely 
I will not forget this forty years hence. But, alas ! 
within less than forty days I began to question all 
again. Yet still at times I was helped to believe 
that it was a true manifestation of grace unto my 
soul, though I had lost much of the life and savor 
of it. 

6 Now about a week or a fortnight after this, I 
was much followed by this scripture, Simon, 
Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you* 
And sometimes it would sound so loud within me, 
yea, and, as it were, call so strongly after me, that 
once above all the rest, I turned my head over my 
shoulder, thinking verily that some man, behind 
me, had called me : being at a distance, methought, 
he called so loud. It came, as I have thought 
since, to have stirred me up to prayer and to 
watchfulness. . . . For, about the space of a month 
after, a very great storm came down upon me, 
which handled me twenty times worse than all I 

* Luke 22 : 31. 
6 



62 LIFE OF 

had met with before. It came stealing upon me, 
now by one piece, then by another. First, all my 
comfort was taken from me ; then darkness seized 
upon me ; after which, whole floods of blasphemies 
against God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured 
upon my spirit, to my greai confusion and astonish- 
ment. These blasphemous thoughts were such as 
stirred up questions in me against the very being 
of God, and of his only beloved Son ; as, whether 
there were, in truth, a God or Christ ? and whether 
the Holy Scriptures were not rather a fable and 
cunning story, than the holy and pure word of 
God. 

' The tempter would also much assault me with 
this : How can you tell but that the Turks have as 
good scriptures to prove their Mahomet the Saviour 
as we have to prove our Jesus ? And, could I 
think, that so many ten thousands, in so many coun- 
tries and kingdoms, should be without the know- 
ledge of the right w T ay to heaven, (if there were 
indeed a heaven ;) and that we only, who live in a 
corner of the earth, should alone be possessed 
therewith ? Every one doth think his own religion 
rightest, Jews, and Moors, and Pagans ; and how, 
if all our faith, and Christ, and Scriptures, should 
be but a think-so too ? Sometimes I have endeav- 
ored to argue against these suggestions, and to set 
some of the sentences of blessed Paul against 
them ; but, alas ! I quickly felt, when I thus did, 
such arguings as these would return again upon 
me : Though we made so great a matter of Paul 
and of his words, yet how could I tell, but that, in 
very deed, he, being a subtle and cunning man, 



BUNYAN. 63 

might give himself up to deceive with strong delu- 
sions, and also take the pains and travel to undo 
and destroy his fellows ? 

* These suggestions, (with many others which at 
this time I may not, nor dare not utter, neither by 
word nor pen,) did make such a seizure upon my 
spirit, and did so overweigh my heart, with their 
number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt as 
if there were nothing else but these from morning 
to night within me, and as though indeed there 
could be room for nothing else ; and I also con- 
cluded that God had, in very wrath to my soul, 
given me up to them, to be carried away with them, 
as with a mighty whirlwind. 

1 Only by the distaste that they gave unto my 
spirit, I felt there was something in me that refused 
to embrace them. But this consideration I then 
only had when God gave me leave to swallow my 
spittle ; otherwise the noise, and strength, and force 
of these temptations would drown, and overflow, and, 
as it were, bury all such thoughts, or the remem- 
brance of any such thing. While I was in this 
temptation, I often found my mind suddenly put 
upon it to curse and swear, or to speak some griev- 
ous thing against God, or Christ his Son, and the 
Scriptures. Now, I thought, surely I am possessed 
of the devil. At other times, again, I thought I 
should be bereft of my wits ; for, instead of laud- 
ing and magnifying God the Lord with others, if I 
have but heard him spoken of, presently some most 
horrible blasphemous thought or other would bolt 
out of my heart against him ; so that whether I did 
think that God was, or again did think there was 



64 LIFE OP 

no such thing, no love, nor peace, nor gracious dis- 
position could I feel within me. These things did 
sink me into very deep despair ; for I concluded 
that such things could not possibly be found amongst 
them that loved God. 

' In these days, when I have heard others talk 
of what was the sin against the Holy Ghost, then 
would the tempter so provoke me to desire to sin 
that sin, that I was as if I could not, must not, 
neither should be quiet until I had committed it : 
now, no sin would serve but that. If it were to 
be committed by speaking such a word, then I 
have been as if my mouth would have spoken that 
word, whether I would or no. And in so strong a 
measure was this temptation upon me, that often I 
have been ready to clap my hands under my chin, 
to hold my mouth from opening ; and, to that end, 
also, I have, had thoughts at other times to leap, 
with my head downward, into some muck-hill hole 
or other, to keep my mouth from speaking. 

' Now, again, I beheld the condition of the dog 
and toad, and counted the estate of every thing that 
God had made far better than this dreadful state of 
mine, and such as my companions' was. Yea, 
gladly would I have been in the condition of a dog 
or horse ; for I knew they had no souls to perish 
under the everlasting weight of hell or sin, as mine 
was like to do. Nay, and though I saw this, felt 
this, and was broken to pieces with it, yet that 
which added to my sorrow was, that I could not 
find that with all my soul I did desire deliverance. 
That scripture did also tear and rend my soul, in 
the midst of these distractions : The wicked are 



BUNYAN. 



65 



like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose wa- 
ters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith 
my God, to the ivicked.* 

'And now my heart was, at times, exceeding 
hard : if I could have given a thousand pounds for 
a tear, I could not shed one ; no, nor sometimes 
scarce desire to shed one. I was much dejected, 
to think that this would be my lot. I saw some 
could mourn and lament their sin ; and others, again, 
could rejoice and bless God for* Christ ; and others, 
again, could quietly talk of, and with gladness re- 
member, the word of God ; while I only was in the 
storm and tempest. This much sunk me. I thought 
my condition was alone. I should, therefore, much 
bewail my hard hap ; but, get out of, or yet rid of 
these things, I could not. 

* While this temptatioa lasted, (which was about 
a year,) I could attend upon none of the ordinances 
of God, but with sore and great affliction. Yea, 
then was I most distressed with blasphemies. If 
I had been hearing the word, then uncleanness, 
blasphemies, and despair would hold me a captive. 
If I had been reading, then sometimes I had sud- 
den thoughts to question all I read. Sometimes, 
again, my mind would be so strangely snatched 
away, and possessed with other things, that I have 
neither known, nor regarded, nor remembered so 
much as the sentence that but now I have read. 

' In prayer, also, I have been greatly troubled at 
this time by the tempter. Sometimes, I have 
thought I have felt him behind me pull my clothes. 
He would be also continually at me in time of 

*Isa. 57: 20.21 



66 LIFE OP 

prayer, to have done, and break off: Make haste ; 
you have prayed enough ; and stay no • longer ; 
still drawing my mind away. Sometimes, also, 
he would cast in such wicked thoughts as these : 
That I must pray to him, or for him. I have thought, 
sometimes, of that passage in Matthew : Fall down, 
or, If thou wilt fall down and worship me.* Also, 
when, because I have had wandering thoughts in 
the time of this duty, I have labored to compose 
my mind, and fbi it upon God, then with great force 
hath the tempter labored to distract me, and con- 
found me, and to turn away my mind, by present- 
ing to my heart and fancy the form of a bush, a bull, 
a besom, or the like, as if I should pray to these. 
To these, he would also, (at sometimes especially,) 
so hold my mind that I was as if I could think of 
nothing else, or pray to nothing else but to these, 
or such as they. 

' Yet, at times, I had some strong and heart- 
affecting apprehensions of God, and the reality of 
the truth of his gospel. But, oh ! how would my 
heart, at such times, put forth itself with inexpres- 
sible groanings. My whole soul was then in every 
word : I cried with pangs after God, that he would 
be merciful unto me. But then I was daunted 
again with such conceits as these : I thought that 
God did mock at these my prayers, saying, (and 
that in the audience of the holy angels,) This poor 
simple wretch doth hanker after me, as if I had 
nothing to do with my mercy but to bestow it on 
such as he. Alas, poor soul ! how art thou 

* Chap. 4 : 9. 



BUNYAN. 67 

deceived ! It is not for such as thee to have favor 
with the Highest. 

'Then hath the tempter come upon me with 
such discouragements as these : You are very hot 
for mercy, but I will cool you ; this flame shall 
not last always ; many have been as hot as you 
for a spirt, but I have quenched this zeal, (and 
with this, such and such, who were fallen off, 
would be set before mine eyes.) Then I would 
be afraid that I should do so too. But, thought I, 
I am glad this comes into my mind : well, I will 
watch, and take what care I can. Though you do, 
said Satan, I shall be too hard for you ; I will cool 
you insensibly, by degrees, by little and little. 
What care I, saith he, though I be seven years in 
chilling your heart, if I can do it at last ? Con- 
tinual rocking will lull a crying child asleep : 1 
will ply it close, but I will have my end accom- 
plished. Though you be burning hot at present, I 
can pull you from this fire ; I shall have you cold 
before it be long. 

1 These things brought me into great straits ; for, 
as I at present could not find myself fit for present 
death, so I thought to live long would make me yet 
more unfit ; for time would make me forget all, and 
wear even the remembranee of the evil of sin, 
the worth of heaven, and the need I had of the 
blood of Christ to wash me, both out of mind and 
thought. But I thank Christ Jesus, these things 
did not at present make me slack my crying, but 
rather did put me more upon it. . . . In those 
days, that was a good word to me, after I had suf- 
fered awhile, — I am persuaded that neither death. 



68 LIFE OF 

nor life, nor angels, nor principalities , nor powers, 
nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, 
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to 
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ 
Jesus our Lord* And now I hoped long life would 
not destroy me, nor make me miss of heaven. 

' I had some supports in this temptation, though 
they were then all questioned by me ; as those in 
Jeremiah 3: [12 and 13: Go and proclaim these 
words toward the north, and say, Return, thou back- 
sliding Israel, saith the Lord ; and I will not cause 
mine anger to fall upon you ; for I am merciful, 
saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever ; 
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast 
transgressed against the Lord thy God ; — and (in 
connection with the charge in the 5th verse, 
Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as 
thou couldst,) the expostulation in the 4th : Wilt 
thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou 
art the guide of my youth ?] 

' I had also once a sweet glance from that in 
2 Cor. 5 : 12 : — For he hath made Him to be sin 
for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the 
righteousness of God in Mm, I remember that one 
day, as I was sitting in a neighbor's house, and 
there very sad at the consideration of my many 
blasphemies; and as I was saying in my mind, 
What ground have I to say that I, who have been 
so vile and abominable, should ever inherit eternal 
life ? that word came suddenly upon me, What 
shall we say to these things ? If God be for us, 
who can be against us ?f That also was a help 

* Rom. 8 : 38 3 39. f Rom. 8: 31. 



BUNYAN. 69 

nnto me, Because I live ye shall live also. * But 
these words were but hints, touches, and short 
visits, though very sweet when present ; only they 
lasted not ; but, like to Peter's sheet, of a sudden 
were caught up from me to heaven again. 

'But, afterwards the Lord did more fully and 
graciously discover himself unto me ; and, indeed, 
did quite, not only deliver me from the guilt that 
by these things was laid upon my conscience, but 
also from the very filth thereof; for the temptation 
was removed, and I was put into my right mind 
again, as other Christians were. 

* I remember, that one day, as I was travelling 
into the country, and musing on the wickedness 
and blasphemy of my heart, and considering the 
enmity that was in me to God, that scripture came 
into my mind, He hath made peace bg the blood 
of his Cross :f by which I was made to see, both 
again and again, that God and my soul were 
friends by his blood ; yea, I saw that the justice of 
God, and my sinful soul, could embrace and kiss 
each other, through his blood. This was a good 
day to me ; I hope I shall never forget it. 

1 At another time, as I sat by the fire in my 
house, and was musing on my wretchedness, the 
Lord made that also a precious word unto me, For 
as much , then, as the children are partakers of flesh 
and bloody he also himself likewise took part of the 
same ; that, through death , he might destroy him 
that had the power of death , that is, the devil ; and 
deliver those who, through fear of death, were all 
their life-time subject to bondage.^. I thought that 

* John 14: 19. f 1 Col. 1 : 20. * Heb. 2: 14, 15. 



70 



LIFE OF 



the glory of these words was then so weighty on 
me, that I was both once and twice ready to swoon 
as I sat ; yet not with grief and trouble, but with 
solid joy and peace. 

4 At this time, also, I sat under the ministry of 
holy Mr. Gifford, whose doctrine, by God's grace, 
was much for my stability. This man made it 
much his business to deliver the people of God 
from all those hard and unsound tests that by na- 
ture we are so prone to. He would bid us take 
special heed that we took not up any truth upon 
trust ; as from this, or that, or any other man or 
men ; but cry mightily to God, that he would con- 
vince us of the reality thereof, and set us down 
therein by his own Spirit in the holy word. For, 
said he, if you do otherwise, when temptation 
comes, if strongly upon you, you not having received 
them with evidence from Heaven, will find you 
want that help and strength now to resist, that 
once you thought you had. This was as seasona- 
ble to my soul as the former and latter rains in their* 
season; for I had found, and that by sad expe- 
rience, the truth of these his words ; (for I had 
felt no man can say, especially when tempted by 
the devil, that Jesus Christ is Lord, but by the 
Holy Ghost.) Wherefore, I found my soul, through 
grace, very apt to drink in this doctrine, and to 
incline to pray to God, that in nothing that per- 
tained to God's glory, and my own eternal happi- 
ness, he would suffer me to be without the con- 
firmation thereof from heaven. For now I saw 
clearly, there was an exceeding difference betwixt 
the notion of the flesh and blood, and the re vela- 



BUNYAN. 71 

tion of God in heaven ; also a great difference 
betwixt that faith that is feigned, and according to 
man's wisdom, and that which comefs by a man's 
being born thereto of God.* But, oh ! how was 
my soul now led from truth to truth by God ! 
Even from the birth and cradle of the Son of God 
to his ascension, and his second coming to judge 
the world ! Truly, I then found, upon this account 
the great God was very good unto me ; for, to my 
remembrance, there was not any thing that I then 
cried unto God to make known, and reveal unto 
me, but he was pleased to do it for me ; I mean, 
not one part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, but I 
was orderly led into it,' 

The incidental testimony here borne to the min- 
istry of Mr. Gifford is important. It harmonizes 
with what we learn from other sources respecting 
his pious zeal and his pastoral fidelity, according 
to his views of truth and duty ; and it lets us see 
one of the influences bearing on the mind of Bun- 
yan. Unquestionably, that influence, for the most 
part, was good. The pastor seems to have thought 
well of him, even at their first interview. Unques- 
tionably, the instruction here mentioned has in it 
much that is worthy of our profoundest regard. 
Religious truth must be sought, and received reli- 
giously. To deny this, would be as unreasonable 
as to deny that philosophy must be studied philoso- 
phically. It is they who sincerely desire to receive 
instruction ; it is the humble and childlike, that 
are taught of God. The meek will he guide in judg- 

* 1 John 5 : 1. 



72 LIFE OF 

ment, and the meek will he teach his way. But this 
he does, ordinarily, in the use of the means which 
he has appointed. His Spirit, in the use of these 
means, enlightens the mind, and fits it to discern 
clearly, and to feel strongly the truths of the Gos- 
pel. And the more we are under the influence of 
his Spirit, the more fitted are we to understand and 
appreciate those truths. 

Happy the man who seeks and cherishes that 
awakening, enlightening, heavenly influence ! For, 
under it, while he faithfully studies the Bible, and 
looks within him, and around him, he sees things, 
in some measure, as they are. He can now set 
them down as being well ascertained ; and he has 
within his reach, so to speak, some indubitable 
truths, some fixed principles, to which he can recur, 
confidently, in seasons of darkness and trial. 

If this be the sense in which the instruction 
received by Bunyan is to be understood, we assent 
to it, we commend it most cordially. 

But, on this subject, it is not always easy to 
make the requisite discriminations. The mind 
may be powerfully affected in various ways. And 
it is not to be wondered at, if Bunyan sometimes 
regarded either the sudden recollection of a strik- 
ing text of scripture, without duly considering its 
connection, or the vivid conception of certain great 
scripture facts, as a kind of new revelation, and an 
evidence from heaven. (On one occasion, he says, 
1 Now I had an evidence, as I thought, of my sal- 
vation, from Heaven, with many golden seals 
thereon, all hanging in my sight.') 

Then, when the intense excitement of his deli- 



BUNYAN. 73 

cate mind subsided, as, in the nature of things, it 
must subside, it was succeeded by a state of debil- 
ity and prostration, which inclined him to despon- 
dency, and exposed him to the malignant assaults 
of that adversary, who, to use the expressive lan- 
guage of the Holy Scriptures, Walketh about as 
a roaring Hon, seeking whom he may devour.* 

1 But, before I had got thus far out of my temp- 
tations,' Bunyan proceeds, ' I did greatly long to 
see some ancient godly man's experience, who 
had written some hundred of years before I was 
born ; for those who had written in our days, I 
thought, (but I desire them now to pardon me,) 
had written only that which others felt ; or else 
had, through the strength of their wits and parts 
studied to answer such objections as they perceived 
others were perplexed with, without going down 
themselves into the deep. Well, after many such 
longings in my mind, the God in whose hands are 
all our days and ways, did cast into my hand, one 
day, a book of Martin Luther's ; it was his com- 
ment on the Galatians ; it also was so old that it 
was ready to fall piece from piece if I did but turn 
it over. Now, I was pleased much that such an 
old book had fallen into my hands ; the which, 
when I had but a little-way perused, I found my 
condition in his experience so largely and pro- 
foundly handled, as if his book had been written 
out of my heart. This made me marvel ; for thus 
thought I, This man could not know any thing of 
the state of Christians now, but must needs write 
and speak the experience of former days. Besides, 

*1 Peter 5: 8. 

7 



74 LIFE OF 

he doth most gravely also, in that book, debate of 
the rise of these temptations, namely, blasphemy, 
desperation, and the like ; showing that the law of 
Moses, as well as the devil, death, and hell, hath 
a very great hand therein ; the which, at first, 
was very strange to me ; but considering and 
watching, I found it so indeed. But of particulars 
here I intend nothing ; only this, methinks, I must 
let fall before all men, — I do prefer this book of 
Martin Luther upon the Galatians, (excepting the 
Holy Bible,) before all the books that ever I have 
seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience. 

c And now I found, as I thought, that I loved 
Christ dearly. Oh ! methought, my soul cleaved 
unto him. .... But I did quickly find that my 
great love was but too little ; and that I who had, 
as I thought, such burning love to Jesus Christ, 
could let him go again for a very trifle : — God can 
tell how to abase us, and can hide pride from man* 
Quickly, after this, my love was tried to purpose. 

' For, after the Lord had, in this manner, thus 
graciously delivered me from this great and sore 
temptation, and had set me down so sweetly in the 
faith of his Holy Gospel, and had given me such 
strong consolation and blessed evidence from hea- 
ven, touching my interest in his love, through 
Christ, the tempter came upon me again, and that 
with a more grievous and dreadful temptation than 
before. And that was, to sell and part with this 
most blessed Christ, to exchange him for the things 
of this life, — for any thing. The temptation lay 
upon me for the space of a year, and did follow 
me so continually, that I was not rid of it one 



BUNYAN. 75 

day in a month ; no, not sometimes an hour in 
many days together, unless when I was asleep. 

'And, though in my judgment, I was persuaded, 
that those who were once effectually in Christ, (as 
I hoped, through his grace, I had seen myself,) 
could never lose him forever ; . . . yet it was a 
continual vexation to me to think that I should 
have so much as one such thought within me 
against a Christ ! a Jesus ! that had done for me 
as he had done, and yet then I had almost none 
others but such blasphemous ones. 

i But it was neither my dislike of the thought, 
nor yet any desire and endeavor to resist it, that in 
the least did shake or abate the continuation or 
force and strength thereof; for it did always, in 
almost whatever I thought, intermix itself there- 
with in such sort, that I could neither eat my food, 
nor stoop for a pin, nor cast mine eye to look on 
this or that, but still the temptation would come : 
sell Christ for, this or sell Christ for that ; sell him, 
sell him. 

* Sometimes it would run in my thoughts, not so 
little as a hundred times together, sell him, sell him, 
sell him ! Against which, I may say, for whole hours 
together, I have been forced to stand as continu- 
ally leaning and forcing my spirit against it, lest 
haply, before I were aware, some wicked thought 
might arise in my heart that might consent thereto ; 
and sometimes the tempter would make me believe 
I had consented to it ; but then I should be as tor- 
tured upon a rack for whole days together. 

This temptation did put me to such scares, lest 
I should at some times, I say, consent thereto, and 



76 LIFE OF 

be overcome therewith ; that by the force of my 
mind, in laboring to resist this wickedness, my 
very body would be put into action or motion by 
way of pushing or thrusting with my hands or 
elbows ; still answering, (as fast as the destroyer 
said sell him,) I will not, I will not, I will not, no, 
not for thousands, thousands, thousands of worlds ; 
thus reckoning, lest I should, in the midst of these 
assaults, set too low a value on him, even until I 
scarce well knew where I was, or how to be com- 
posed again. At these seasons, he would not let 
me eat my food at quiet ; but, forsooth, when I was 
set at the table at any meat, I must go hence to 
pray, I must leave my food now, and just now ; so 
counterfeit-holy also would this devil be. When I 
was thus tempted, I would say in myself, Now I 
am at meat, let me make an end. No, said he, 
you must do it now, or you will displease God and 
despise Christ. Wherefore I was much afflicted 
with these things. . . . 

1 But, to be brief: One morning, as I did lie in 
my bed, I was as, at other times, most fiercely 
assaulted with this temptation, to sell and part 
w r ith Christ ; the wicked suggestion still running 
in my mind, Sell him, sell him, sell him ! as fast 
as a man could speak ; against which also, in my 
mind, as at other times, I answered, No, no, not 
for thousands, thousands, thousands, at least twenty 
times together. But at last, after much striving, 
even until I was almost out of breath, I felt this 
thought pass though my heart, Let him go, if he 
will ; and I thought also that I felt my heart freely 
consent thereto. Oh, the diligence of satan ! Oh, 



BTJNYAN. 77 

the desperateness of man's heart ! Now was the 
battle won ; and down fell I, (as a bird that is 
shot from the top of a tree,) into great guilt and 
fearful despair. 

1 And withal, that scripture did seize upon my 
soul, — Or profane person, as Esau, who for one 
mvrsel of meat sold his birth right ; for ye know 
how that afterwards, when he would have inherited 
the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no 
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully 
with tears. Now was I as one bound, I felt my- 
self shut up unto the judgment to come. Nothing 
now, for two years together, would abide with me 
but damnation, and an expectation of damnation. 
I say nothing now would abide with me but this, 
save some few moments for relief, as in the sequel 
you will see. 

'These words were to my soul like fetters of 
brass to my legs ; in the continual sound of which 
I went for several months together. But* about 
ten or eleven o'clock on that day, as I was walk- 
ing under a hedge, (full of sorrow and guilt,) and 
bemoaning myself for this hard hap, that such a 
thought should arise within me, — suddenly this 
sentence rushed in upon me, The blood of Christ 
remits all guilt. At this I made a stand in my 
spirit ; with that, this word took hold upon me, 
The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from 
all sin* Now I began to conceive peace in my soul ; 
and methought I saw as if the tempter did leer, and 
steal away from me, as being ashamed of what he 
had done.' .... 

* Heb. 12: 16,17 



78 LIFE OF 

For two or three hours Bimyan was comforted, 
and seemed to see by faith the Son of God suffer- 
ing for his sins. But, because the vivid concep- 
tion did not continue, he sank again into des- 
pair. Sometimes, he was refreshed a little by that 
passage in Luke 22 : 32 : I have prayed for thee 
that thy faith fail not, i But,' he says, 6 it would 
not abide upon me ; neither could I, indeed, when I 
considered my state, find ground to conceive in the 
least that there should be the root of this grace in 
me, having sinned as I had done. Now was I tore 
and rent in a heavy case for many days together.' 

Then, with a sad and fearful heart, he endea- 
vored to find in the Bible some word of promise or 
encouragement. But all seemed to be against 
him. He feared that he had committed the un- 
pardonable sin. And this fear was strengthened 
when he thought again of Esau, How that after- 
wards, when he would have inherited the blessing, 
he icdb rejected ; for he found no place of repent- 
ance, though he sought it carefully with tears. And 
this was constantly in his mind. 

He now became a burden and a terror to him- 
self. He was weary of his life, and yet afraid to 
die : 6 Oh ! how gladly,' he exclaims, i would I 
have been any body but myself! any thing but a 
man ! and in any condition but my own ! . . . . 
God hath let me go, and I am fallen. Oh ! (thought 
I,) that it was with me as in months past, as in 
the days when God preserved me. i 

1 Now I saw that as God had his hand in all the 
providences and dispensations that overtook his 

* 1 Johnl: 7. 



BUNYAN. 79 

elect, so he had his hand in all the temptations 
that they had to sin against him ; not to animate 
them to wickedness, but to choose their tempta- 
tions and troubles for them, and also to leave them 
for a time to such things only as might not destroy, 
but humble them, as might not put them beyond, 
but lay them in the way of the renewing of his 
mercy. But oh ! what love, what care, what kind- 
ness and mercy did I now see mixing itself with 
the most severe and dreadful of all God's ways to 
his people ! He would let David, Hezekiah, Solo- 
mon, Peter, and others, fall ; but he would not let 
them fall into the sin unpardonable. . . * O ! (thought 
I,) these be the men'that God had loved ; these be 
the men that God, though he chastiseth them, 
keeps in safety by him ; and that he makes to 
abide under the shadow of the Almighty. But all 
these thoughts added sorrow, grief, and horror to 
me ; as whatever I now thought on, it was killing 
to me. If I thought how God kept his own, that 
was killing to me ; if I thought how I was fallen my- 
self, that was killing to me. As all things wrought 
together for the best, and to do good to them that 
were the called, according to God's purpose ; so I 
thought that all things wrought for damage, and 
for my eternal overthrow.' 

He had already compared his sin with that of 
David, and with that of Peter ; and he had con- 
cluded his own to be the most heinous ; David's 
was only against the law of Moses ; but his own, 
against the Gospel, even against the Mediator him- 
self: Peter's was only a denial of his Master; but 
his own, a selling of his Savior. 



80 LIFE OP 

* Then, again,' he proceeds, ' I began to com- 
pare my sin with the sin Judas, that, if possible, I 
might find if mine differed from that which in truth 
is unpardonable ; and oh ! (thought I,) if it should 
differ from it, though but the breadth of a hair, 
what a happy condition is my soul in ! and by con- 
dering, I found that Judas did his intentionally, 
but mine was against prayer and strivings ; besides, 
his was committed with much deliberation, but 
mine in a fearful hurry, on a sudden. All this 
while I was tossed to and fro, like the locust, and 
driven from trouble to sorrow, hearing always the 
sound of Esau's fall in mine ears, and the dreadful 
consequences thereof. 

I Yet, this consideration about Judas's sin was, 
for a while, some little relief to me ; for I saw I 
had not, as to the circumstances, transgressed so 
fully as he. But this was quickly gone again ; for 
I thought with myself, there might be more ways 
than one to commit this unpardonable sin ; also I 
thought there might be degrees of that, as well 
as of other transgressions ; wherefore, for ought I 
yet could perceive, this iniquity of mine might 
be such as might never be passed by.' 

So ingeniously was all relief constantly repelled ! 
Who can wonder at what follows ? 

I I was, much about that time, tempted to con- 
tent myself by receiving some false opinions ; as, 
that there should be no such thing as a day of judg- 
ment ; that we should not rise again ; and that sin 
was no such grievous thing ; the tempter suggest- 
ing thus : For, if these things should indeed be true, 
yet to believe otherwise would yield you ease for 



BUN Y AN. 81 

the present. If you must perish, never torment 
yourself so much before-hand ; drive the thoughts 
of damnation out of your mind, by possessing your 
mind with some such conclusions as Atheists and 
Ranters use to help themselves withal.' 

These suggestions, however, were unsuccessful. 
And the fact that they had 'no entertainment,' illus- 
trates the value of a great Christian doctrine, and 
of that faith by which a person, in seasons of temp- 
tation, endures as seeing him who is invisible. 
1 When such thoughts,' he proceeds to say, ' have 
led through my heart, how, as it were, within a 
step, hath death and judgment been in my view ? 
Methought the judge stood at the door ; I was as if 
it was come already, so that such things could have 
no entertainment. But methinks I see by this that 
Satan will use any means to keep the soul from 
Christ : he loveth not an awakened frame of spirit. 
Security, blindness, and error, are the very king- 
dom and habitation of the wicked one.' And it 
might well have been added, when he cannot keep 
men from being awakened, he loveth to drive them 
to despair. 

1 I found it a hard work now to pray to God ; 
because despair was swallowing me up. I thought 
I was, as with a tempest, driven aw r ay from God ; 
for always when I cried to God for mercy, this 
would come in, 'Tis too late ; I am lost ; God hath 
let me fall, — not to my correction, but to my con- 
demnation : my sin is unpardonable ; and I know, 
concerning Esau, how that, after he had sold his 
birth-right, he would have received the blessing, 
but was rejected. 



82 LIFE OF 

' About this time, I did light on that dreadful 
story of that miserable mortal, Francis Spira ; a 
book that was to nay troubled spirit as salt when 
rubbed into a fresh wound : every sentence in that 
book, every groan of that man, with all the rest of 
his actions in his dolors, as his tears, his prayers, his 
gnashing of teeth, his wringing of hands, his twist- 
ing, and languishing, and pining away under that 
mighty hand of God that was upon him, were as 
knives and daggers in my soul ; especially that 
sentence of his was frightful to me : 4 Man knows the 
beginning of sin, but who bounds the issues thereof?' 
Then would the former sentence, as the conclusion 
of all, fall like a hot thunderbolt again upon my 
conscience : For ye know how that afterwards, 
when he would have inherited the blessing, he was 
rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though 
he sought it carefully with tears. 

f Then would I be struck, into a very great trem- 
bling, insomuch that at sometimes I could for whole 
days together, feel *my very body, as well as my 
mind, to shake and totter under the sense of this 
dreadful judgment of God, that would fall on those 
that have sinned that most fearful and unpardona- 
ble sin. I felt also such a clogging and heat at 
my stomach by reason of this my terror, that J was, 
especially at some times, as if my breast-bone 
would split asunder : then I thought concerning 
that of Judas, who, falling headlong, burst asun- 
der, and all his bowels gushed out.* .... 

' Yet that saying would sometimes come into 
my mind, He hath received gifts for the rebellious.^ 
* Actsl: 18. f Ps. 68: 8. 



BUNYAN. 83 

The rebellious ! (thought I.) Why, surely, they 
are such as once were under subjection to their 
Prince : even those who, after they have once 
sworn subjection to his government^ have taken up 
arms against him ; and this, thought I, is my very 
condition. I once loved him, feared him, served 
him ; but now I am a rebel ; I have sold him ; I 
have said, Let him go, if he will. But yet he has 
gifts for rebels ; and then why not for me ? 

' This sometimes I thought on, and would labor 
to take hold thereof, that some, though small, 
refreshment, might have been conceived by me. 
But in this also I missed my desire ; I was driven 
with force beyond it ; I was like a man going to 
execution, even by that place where he would fain 
creep in and hide himself, but may not.' 

Manifestly, Bunyan's mind was now diseased, 
and had lost its balance. Of this fact, we do not 
undertake to give a complete explanation. Seve- 
ral causes may have conspired to produce and 
aggravate the result. Some of them are suffi- 
ciently obvious. Others we may know but imper- 
fectly ; and others still, we may not know at all. 
It is not the part of candor, nor of sound philosophy, 
to dogmatize without evidence, or to reject any light 
which either revelation or well attested facts from 
other sources, may shed on this difficult subject. 
Whatever agents may have been at work, it seems 
to us that here was a malady, receiving its par- 
ticular character and scope, in part, from its be- 
ing connected with the great primary falsehood, 
which, in a dark and evil hour, had been thrust into 
the lacerated and imaginative mind of Bunyan. 



84 LIFE OF 

1 This one consideration,' he says, ' would always 
kill my heart : my sin was point blank against my 
Savior ; and that too at that height, that I had in 
my heart said of him, Let him go, if he will. Oh ! 
methought, this sin was bigger than the sins of a 
country, of a kingdom, or of the whole world ; no 
one pardonable, nor all of them together was able 
to equal mine ; mine outwent them every one.' 

Here, no one can fail of perceiving and of deplor- 
ing the disordered state of his mind. We follow 
him with a trembling solicitude, lest, in some des- 
perate moment, he should be left to do violence to 
his life. And it is a relief to us to find him, now 
and then, soothed, though it be but for a little while, 
with some precious passage of scripture, or with 
some just and encouraging reflection. 

He proceeds : ' Now I should find my mind to 
flee from God, as from the face of a dreadful judge ; 
yet this was my torment,— I could not escape his 
hand : (It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands 
of the living God.)* But, blessed be his grace, 
that scripture, in these flying fits, would call, as 
running after me, ' I have blotted out, as a thick 
cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins : 
return unto me, for I have redeemed thecf This, 
I say, would come in upon my mind, when I was 
fleeing from the face of God, for I did flee from his 
face ; that is, my mind and spirit fled before him ; 
by reason of his highness, I could not endure. 
Then would the text cry, Return unto me ; it would 
cry aloud with a very great voice, Return unto me, 
for I have redeemed thee. Indeed, this would 

* Heb. 10: 1 f Isa. 44: 22. 



BUNYAN. 



85.- 



make me make a little stop, and, as it were, look 
over my shoulder behind me, to see if I could dis- 
cover that the God of grace did follow me with a 
pardon in his hand. But I could no sooner do that, 
but all would be clouded and darkened again by 
that sentence, For ye know how thai afterwards, 
when he would have inherited the blessing, he was 
rejected; for he found no place of repentance, 
though he sought it carefully with tears. Where- 
fore I could not refrain, but fled, though at some- 
times it cried, Return, return, as it did halloo after 
me ; but I feared to close in therewith, lest it 
should not come from God ; for that other, as I 
said, was still sounding in my conscience, For ye 
know that afterwards, when he would have inher- 
ited the blessing, he was rejected ; for he found no 
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully 
with tears. 

i Once, as I was walking to and fro in a good 
man's shop, bemoaning myself in my sad and doleful 
state, afflicting myself with self-abhorrence for this 
wicked and ungodly thought ; lamenting also this 
hard hap of mine that I should not be pardoned ; 
praying also in my heart, that if this sin of mine 
did differ from that against the Holy Ghost, the 
Lord would show it me ; and being now ready to 
sink with fear, — suddenly there was, as if there 
had rushed in, at the window, the noise of wind 
upon me, but very pleasant, and as if I heard a 
voice speaking, Didst thou ever refuse to be justi- 
fied by the blood of Christ ? And withal, my whole 
life of profession past was in a moment opened to 
me, wherein I was made to see that designedly I 

8 



86 LIFE OF 

had not : so, my heart answered groaningly, No. 
Then fell, with power, that word of God upon me, 
See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh.* This 
made a strange seizure upon my spirit ; it brought 
light with it, and commanded a silence in my heart, 
of all those tumultuous thoughts that did before use, 
like masterless hell-hounds, to roar and bellow, and 
make a hideous noise w T ithin me. It showed me, 
also, that Jesus Christ had yet a word of grace 
and mercy for me ; that he had not, as I had feared, 
quite forsaken and cast off my soul. Yea, this 
was a kind of check for my proneness to despera- 
tion, a kind of threatening of me, if I did not, not- 
withstanding my sins, and the heinousness of them, 
venture my salvation upon the Son of God. But, 
as to my determining about this strange dispensa- 
tion, w r hat it was, I know not ; or from whence it 
came I know not ; I have not yet in twenty years' 
time been able to make a judgment of it. " I 
thought then what here I should be loath to speak." 
But, verily, that sudden rushing wind was as if an 
angel had come upon me ; but both it and the sal- 
vation I will leave until the day of judgment ; only 
this I say, it commanded a great calm in my soul ; 
it persuaded me there might be hope ; it showed 
me, as I thought, what the sin unpardonable was, 
and that my soul had yet the blessed privilege to 
flee to Jesus Christ for mercy. But I say, con- 
cerning this dispensation, I know not what to say 
unto it yet, which was also in truth the cause that 
at first I did not speak of it in the book. I do 
now also leave it to be thought on by men of sound 

* Heb. 12: 25 



BUNYAN. 87 

judgment. I lay not the stress of my salvation 
thereupon, but upon the Lord Jesus in the promise ; 
yet, seeing I am here unfolding my secret things, 
I thought it might not be altogether inexpedient to 
let this also show itself, though I cannot now 
relate the matter as there I did experience it. This 
lasted in the savor of it, for about three or four 
days ; and then I began to mistrust and to despair 
again.' .... 

In this troubled state, he was conscious of a 
desire to cast himself down before the throne of 
grace in prayer and supplication. To do this, 
he found to be exceedingly difficult. ' But,' he 
says, ' I saw that there was only one way with 
me ; I must go to him, and humble myself unto 
him, and beg that he, of his wonderful mercy, 
would show pity to me, and have mercy upon my 
wretched sinful soul. 

1 Which, when the tempter perceived, he strongly 
suggested to me, that I ought not to pray to God, 
for prayer was not for any in my case, neither 
could it do me good, because I had rejected the 
Mediator, by whom all prayers came with accept- 
ance to God the Father ; and without whom no 
prayer could come into his presence : wherefore, 
now to pray is but to add sin to sin ; yea, now to 
pray, seeing God has cast you off, is the next way 
to anger and offend him more than you ever did 
before. For God, saith he, hath been weary of 
you for these several years already, because you 
are none of his ; your bawling in his ears hath 
been no pleasant voice to him, and therefore he 
let you sin in this sin, that you might be quite cut 



OO LIFE OF 

off; and will you pray still ? — This the devil urged, 
and set forth that in Numbers, when Moses said 
to the children of Israel, that because they would 
not go up to possess the land when God would 
have them, therefore for ever he did bar them out 
from thence, -though they prayed they might with 
tears.* As it is said, in another place, The man 
that sins presumptuously shall be taken from God's 
altar, that he may die ;f even as Joel was by king 
Solomon, when he thought to find shelter there. ^ 

' These places did pinch me very sore ; yet, my 
case being desperate, I thought with myself, I can 
but die ; and if it must be so, it shall once be said, 
that such an one died at the foot of Christ in pray- 
er. This I did, but with great difficulty, God doth 
know ; and that because, together with this, still 
that saying about Esau would be set at my heart, 
even like a flaming sword, to keep the way of the 
tree of life, lest I should take thereof and live. 
Oh ! who knows how hard a thing I found it to 
come to God in prayer !' 

Yet he prayed, and he requested the people of 
God to pray for him ; though he did it with a with- 
ering apprehension, that, as God once said to the 
prophet, Pray not for this people, for I will not 
hear,§ so he would now say, or had already said, 
Pray not for him, for I have rejected him. — Alas ! 
what mischief has been wrought by the notion of 
new and special revelations ! 

An aged Christian, with whom he conversed 
freely on his case, and to whom he expressed the 

*Num. 14: 30. tExod. 21: 14. 

1 1 Kings 2: 28. § Jer. 11: 14. 



BUNYAN. 89 

fear that he had committed the unpardonable sin 
replied, that he thought so too. Bunyan was the 
further cast down. But, after conversing with him 
more, he found that though he was a good man, 
yet he might not be qualified to judge in this case. 
8 Wherefore,' he says, ' I went to God again, as 
well as I could, for mercy still. 

' Now, also, did the tempter begin to mock me 
in my misery, saying, that seeing I had thus parted 
with the Lord Jesus, and provoked him to displea- 
sure, who would have stood between my soul and 
the flame of devouring fire, there was now but one 
way, and that was to pray that God the Father 
would be a Mediator betwixt his Son and me ; that 
he would be reconciled again, and that I might 
have that blessed benefit in him, that his saints 
enjoyed. . . . Now, too, the tempter began afresh 
to mock my soul another way, saying, That Christ 
indeed did pity my case, and was sorry for my loss ; 
but, forasmuch as I had sinned and transgressed as 
I had done, he could by no means help me, nor 
save me from what I feared ; for my sin was not 
of the nature of theirs for whom he bled and died ; 
neither was it counted with those that were laid to 
his charge, when he hanged on the tree : there- 
fore, unless he should come down from heaven, 
and die anew for this sin, though indeed he did 
greatly pity me, yet I could have no benefit of 
him. These things may seem ridiculous to others, 
even as ridiculous as they were in themselves ; 
but to me they were most tormenting cogitations. 
Every one of them augmented my misery, that 
Jesus Christ should have so much love as to pity 



90 LIFE OF 

me, when yet he could not help me too ; nor did I 
think that the reason why he could not help me 
was, because his merits were weak, or his grace 
and salvation spent on others already ; but because, 
his faithfulness to his threatenings would not let 
him extend his mercy to me. Besides, I thought, 
as I have already hinted, that my sin was not within 
the bounds of that pardon that was wrapped up in 
a promise ; and if not, then I knew surely, that it 
was more easy for heaven and earth to pass away, 
than for me to have eternal life. So that the 
ground of all these fears of mine did arise from a 
steadfast belief I had of the stability of the holy 
word of God, and also from my being misinformed 
of the nature of my sin. 

'But oh ! how this would add to my affliction, 
to conceit that I should be guilty of such a sin, for 
which he did not die ! These thoughts did so con- 
found me, and imprison me, and tie me up from 
faith that I knew not what to do. Oh ! thought I, 
that he would come down again ! Oh, that the 
work of man's redemption was yet to be done by 
Christ ! How would I pray him and entreat him 
to count and reckon this sin among the rest for 
which he died ! But this scripture would strike 
me down as dead : Christ being raised from the 
dead, dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion 
over him.* 

1 Thus, by the strange and unusual assaults of 
the tempter, my soul was like a broken vessel, 
driven as with the winds, and tossed.' 

On one occasion, in the midst of his anguish, he 

* Rom. 6: 9. 



BUNYAN. 



91 



exclaimed, How can God comfort such a wretch ! 
' I had,' he says, ' no sooner said it, but this re- 
turned upon me, as an echo doth answer a voice, 
This sin is not unto death.* At which I was as 
if I had been raised out of the grave. Now, 
thought I, if this sin is not unto death, then it is 
pardonable ; therefore from this I have encour- 
agement to come to God by Christ for mercy, 
to consider the promise of forgiveness, as that 
which stands with open arms to receive me as 

well as others Yet, towards the evening 

of the next day, I felt this word begin to leave me ; 
. . . and so I returned to my old fears again. 

' But the next day, at evening, being under many 
fears, I went to seek the Lord ; and, as I prayed, 
I cried, and my soul cried to him in these words, 
with strong cries, O Lord, I beseech thee, show 
me that thou hast loved me with everlasting love. 
I had no sooner said it, but, with sweetness, this 
returned upon me as an echo, or sounding, again, 
I have loved thee with an everlasting love^ Now 
I went to bed in quiet ; also, when I awaked the 
next morning, it was fresh upon my soul, and I 
believed it. But yet the tempter left me not ; for 
it could not be so little as a hundred times that he 
that day did labor to break my peace. Oh ! the 
combats and conflicts that I then did meet with : 
as I strove to hold by this word, that of Esau would 
fly in my face like lightning.' .... 

Thus, as we have already intimated, he was 
tossed from hope to despair, and then from despair 
to hope, and back again from hope to despair, 

* Compare 1 John 5: 16, 17. f Jer. 31 : 3. 



92 LIFE OF 

accordingly as he was the most vividly impressed 
by an encouraging sentiment, or by a discourag- 
ing one. At length, there occurred to him a con- 
sideration, which, had he kept it constantly in 
remembrance, might have saved him from an im- 
mensity of trouble, and led him forth, at an early 
day, to a safe and enduring peace. The consider- 
ation, to use his own words, was this : ' That 
whatever comfort and peace I thought I might have 
from the word of the promise of life, yet unless 
there could be found in my refreshment a concur- 
rence and agreement in the scriptures, let me 
think what I will thereof, and hold it never so fast, 
I should find no such thing at the end; for the 
scriptures cannot be broken* 

4 Now began my heart again to ache, and fear I 
might meet with a disappointment at last. Where- 
fore, I began with all seriousness to examine my 
former comfort, and to consider whether one that 
had sinned as I had done, might with confidence 
trust upon the faithfulness of God, laid down in 
these words, by which I had been comforted, and 
on which I had leaned myself. But now were 
brought to my mind the following passages : For 
it is impossible for those who were once en- 
lightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and 
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have 
tasted the good word of God, and the powers of 
the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew 
them again unto repentance.*)" — For, if we sin wil- 
fully, after we have received the knowledge of the 
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, 

* John 10 : 35. f Heb, 6 : 4, 5, 6. 



BUNYAN. 93 

but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and 
fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversa- 
ries.* — As Esau, who, for one morsel of meat, sold 
his birth-right. — For ye know how that afterwards, 
when he would have inherited the blessing, he 
was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, 
though he sought it carefully with tears. f 

1 Now was the word of the Gospel forced from 
my soul, so that no promise or encouragement was 
to be found in the Bible for me ; and now would 
that saying work upon my spirit to afflict me, Re- 
joice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people ; J for I 
saw, indeed, there was cause of rejoicing for those 
that held to Jesus ; but for me, I had cut myself 
off by my transgressions, and left myself neither 
foot-hold nor hand-hold, among all the stays and 
props in the precious word of life. And truly I 
did now feel myself to sink into a gulf, as a house 
whose foundation is destroyed. 

' Now while the scriptures lay before me, and 
laid sin anew at my door, that saying in Luke, 
with others, did encourage me to prayer : Men ought 
always to pray, and not to faint. § Then the temp- 
ter again assailed me, suggesting, That neither the 
mercy of God, nor yet the blood of Christ, did at 
all concern me, nor could they help me for my sin ; 
therefore it was but in vain to pray. — Yet, thought 
I, I will pray. But, said the tempter, your sin is 
unpardonable. Well, said I, I will pray. It is to no 
boot, said he. Yet, said I, I will pray. So I went 
to prayer to God ; and while I was at prayer, I 

* Heb. 10 : 26, 27. f Heb. 12 : 16, 17. 

$ Hosea9: 1. § Luke 18: 1. 



94 LIFE OF 

uttered words to this effect : Lord, satan tells me, 
that neither thy mercy nor Christ's blood is suffi- 
cient to save my soul. Lord, shall I honor thee 
most by believing thou wilt and canst ? or him, by 
believing thou neither wilt nor canst ? Lord, I 
would fain honor thee, by believing thou wilt and 
canst. 

1 And as I was thus before the Lord, that scrip- 
ture fastened on my heart, O, man, great is thy 
faith ;* even as if one had clapped me on the back, 
as I was on my knees before God. Yet, I was 
not able to believe that this was a prayer of faith, 
till almost six months after, for I could not think 
that I had faith, or that there should be a word for 
me to act faith on ; therefore I continued to be as 
sticking in the jaws of desperation, and went 
mourning up and down in a sad condition. 

1 There was nothing now that I longed for more 
than to be put out of doubt, as to this thing in ques- 
tion ; and as I was vehemently desiring to know if 
there was indeed hope for me, these words came 
rolling into my mind : Will the Lord cast off for- 
ever ? And will he be favorable no more ? Is 
his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his promise 
fail forever more ? Hath God forgotten to be gra- 
cious ? Hath he in anger shut up his tender 
mercies ?f 

' One morning, as I was again at prayer, and 
trembling lest no word of God could help me, that 
piece of a sentence darted in upon me, My grace 
is sirjficient.^ At this, methought I felt seme stay, 
as if there might be hope By these words 

* Compare Matt. 15 : 28. f Ps. 77 : 7, 8, 9. %2 Cor. 12 : 9. 



BUNYAN. 95 

I was sustained, yet not without exceeding con- 
flicts, for the space of seven or eight weeks ; for 
my peace would be in, and out, sometimes twenty 
times a day ; comfort now, and trouble presently ; 
peace now, and before I could go a furlong, as full 
of fear and guilt as ever heart could hold ; and this 
was not only now and then, but my whole seven 
weeks' experience. For this about the sufficiency 
of grace, and that of Esau's parting with his birth- 
right, would be like a pair of scales within my 
mind; sometimes one end would be uppermost, 
and sometimos again the other ; according to which 
would be my peace or troubles. 

' Therefore, I did still pray to God, that he would 
come in with his scripture more fully on my heart ; 
to wit, that he would help me to apply the whole 
sentence, for as yet I could not ; that he gave, 
that I gathered ; but further I could not go, for as 
yet it only helped me to hope there might be mercy 
for me ; My grace is sufficient : and though it 
came no farther, it answered my former question, 
to wit, That there was hope ; yet, because for thee 
was left out, I was not contented, but prayed to 
God for that also. Wherefore, one day, when I 
was in a meeting of God's people, full of sadness 
and terror, (for my fears again were strong upon 
me ;) and, as I was now thinking, my soul was 
never the bettter, but my case most sad and 
fearful, these words did with great power suddenly 
break in upon me : My grace is sufficient for thee, 
My grace is sufficient for thee, My grace is suffi- 
cient for thee, — three times together At 

which time my understanding Y\ 7 as so enlightened, 



96 LIFE OF 

that I was as though I had seen the Lord Jesus 
look down from heaven, through the tiles, upon me, 
and direct these words unto me. This filled me 
full of joy, and laid me low as the dust ; only it 
stayed not long with me, — I mean, in this glory 
and refreshing comfort ; yet it continued with me 
for several weeks, and did encourage me to hope. 
But as soon as that powerful operation of it was 
taken from my heart, that other, about Esau, 
returned upon me as before. So my soul did hang 
as in a pair of scales again, sometimes up, and 
sometimes down ; now in peace, and anon again 
in terror.' 

Amidst these fluctuations, he began to inquire 
with himself, 'Why, how many scriptures are 
thero against me ? There are but three or four ; 
and cannot God miss them, and save me for all 
them ? Sometimes again I thought, oh ! if it were 
not for these three or four words, how might I now 
be comforted ! And I could hardly forbear, at some- 
times, to wish them out of the book. Then, me- 
thought, I saw as if both Peter and Paul, and John, 
and all the holy writers did look with scorn upon 
me, and hold me in derision ; and as if they had said 
unto me, All our words are truth, one as much as 
another. It is not we that -have cut you off, but 
you have cast away yourself. There are none of 
our sentences that you must take hold upon, but 
these, and such as these : There remains no more 
sacrifice for sin ;* and, It had been better for them 
not to have known the way of righteousness, than, 
after they have known it, to turn from the holy 

* Heb. 10: 26. 



BUNYAN. 97 

commandment delivered unto them ;* for the scrip- 
ture cannot be broken.")* 

• These, as the elders of the city of refuge, I saw, 
were to be the judges both of my case and me, 
while I stood with the avenger of blood at my heels, 
trembling at their gate of deliverance ; also with a 
thousand fears and mistrusts, I doubted that they 
would shut me out forever. Thus I was confound- 
ed, not knowing what to do, or how to be satisfied 
in this question, Whether the scriptures could agree 
in the salvation of my soul ? I quaked at the apos- 
tles ; I knew their words were true, and that they 
must stand forever. 

4 And I remember, one day as I was in divers 
frames of spirit, and considering that these frames 
were according to the nature of the several scrip- 
tures that came in upon my mind ; — if this of grace, 
then I was quiet ; but if that of Esau, then tormented, 
— Lord, (thought I,) if both these scriptures should 
meet in my heart at once, I wonder which of them 
would get the better of me ? So, methought, I had 
a longing mind that they might come both together 
upon me ; yea, I desired of God they might. Well, 
about two or three days after, so they did indeed ; 
they bolted both upon me at a time, and did work 
and struggle strongly in me for a while. At last, 
that about Esau's birth-right began to wax weak, 
and withdraw, and vanish ; and this, about the 
sufficiency of grace, prevailed with peace and joy. 
And, as I was in a muse about this thing, that 
scripture came in upon me, Mercy rejoiceth against 
judgment.'^ 

* 2 Pet. 2: 21. f John 10 : 35. J James 2: 13. 

9 



98 LIFE OF 

Every benevolent feeling rejoices at this pre- 
cious truth, and at the encouragement which Bun- 
yan received from the result of the fancied combat. 
But how much better it had been to have let the 
encouragement rest on a proper and solid founda- 
tion ! Such a foundation is afforded by a passage 
which he soon mentions as sweetly visiting his 
soul. It is the declaration of our Savior himself: 
Him that cometh to me I will in no icise cast out. 

' But,' the account proceeds, i notwithstanding 
all these helps, and blessed words of grace, yet 
that of Esau's selling his birth-right would still at 
times distress my conscience. For, though I had 
been most sweetly comforted, and that but just 
before, yet, when that came into my mind, it would 
make me fear again ; I could not be quite rid 
thereof; it would every day be with me. Where- 
fore, now I went another way to work, even to 
consider the nature of this blasphemous thought ; I 
mean, if I should take the words at the largest, and 
give them their own natural force and scope, even 
every word therein. So when I had thus consi- 
dered, I found that, if they were fairly taken, they 
would amount to this : That I had freely left the 
Lord Jesus Christ to his choice, whether he would 
be my Savior or no ; for the wicked words were 
these, Let him go, if he will. Then that scrip- 
ture gave me hope, I will never leave thee, nor 
forsake thee?- O Lord, said I, but I have left thee. 
Then it answered again, But I will not leave thee. 
For this I thanked God also. 

1 Yet, above all the scriptures that I yet did meet 

* Heb. 13: 5. 



BUNYAN. 99 

with, that in Joshua* was the greatest comfort to 
me, which speaks of the slayer that was to flee for 
refuge : and if the avenger of blood pursue the 
slayer, then, saith Moses, they that are the elders 
of the city of refuge shall not deliver him into his 
hands, because he smote his neighbor unwittingly, 
and hated him not aforetime. Oh ! blessed be God 
for this word ! I was convinced that I was the 
slayer ; and that the avenger of blood pursued me, 
I felt with great terror ; only it remained that 
I inquire whether I have right to enter the city of 
refuge : so I found that he must not, who lay in 
wait to shed blood. It was not the wilful murderer, 
but he who unwittingly did it ; he who did it una- 
wares, not out of spite, or grudge, or malice ; he 
that shed it unwittingly, even he did not hate his 
neighbor before. Wherefore, I thought verily I 
was the man that must enter, because I had smit- 
ten my neighbor unwittingly, and hated him not 
aforetime. I hated him not aforetime ; no, I prayed 
unto him ; was tender of sinning against him ; 
yea, and against this wicked temptation I had 
strove for twelve months before ; yea, and also 
when it did pass through my heart, it did in spite 
of my teeth. Wherefore I thought I had a right to 
enter this city, and the elders (which are the apos- 
tles) were not to deliver me up. This, therefore, 
was great comfort to rne, and gave me much ground 

of hope 

■ Then, methought, I durst venture to come nigh 
unto those most fearful and terrible scriptures, with 
which, all this while, I had been so greatly affright- 

* 20: 5. 



100 



LIFE OF 



ed, and on which indeed, before, I durst scarce cast 
mine eye, (yea, had much ado, a hundred times, to 
forbear wishing them out of the Bible,) for I thought 
they would destroy me. But now, I say, I began 
to take some measure of encouragement, to come 
close to them, to read them, and consider them, 
and to weigh their scope and tendency. 

' The which when I began to do, I found my 
visage changed ; for they looked not so grimly as 
before I thought they did. And, first, I came to 
the 6th chapter of the Hebrews, yet trembling for 
fear it should strike me ; which, when I had con- 
sidered, I found that the falling there intended was 
a falling quite away ; that is, as I conceived, a fall- 
ing from, and absolute denying of the Gospel, — of 
the remission of sins by Jesus Christ : for, from 
them the apostle begins this argument.* Secondly, 
I found that this falling away must be openly, even 
in the view of the world, so as to put Christ to an 
open shame. Thirdly, I found that those he there 
intended were forever shut up of God, in blindness, 
hardness, and impenitency : — It is impossible to 
renew them again unto repentance. By all these 
particulars, I found, to God's everlasting praise, my 
sin was not the sin in this place intended. 

1 First, I confessed I was fallen, but not fallen 
away; that is, from the profession of faith in Jesus 
unto eternal life. 

1 Secondly, I confessed that I had put Jesus Christ 
to shame by my sin, but not to open shame ; I did 
not deny him before men, nor condemn him as a 
fruitless one before the world. 

* See the 1st, 2d, and 3d verses of the chapter. 



BUN Y AN. 10 1 

« Thirdly, Nor did I find that God had shut me 
Up, or denied me to come, (though I found it hard 
work indeed to come,) to him by sorrow and 
repentance. Blessed be God, for unsearchable 
grace ! 

6 Then I considered that in the 10th chapter of 
the Hebrews, and found that the wilful sin there 
mentionod is not every wilful sin, but that which 
doth throw off Christ, and then his commandments 
too. Secondly, That also must be done openly, 
before two or three witnesses, to answer that of 
the law. Thirdly, This sin cannot be committed, 
but with great despite done to the Spirit of grace ; 
despising both the dissuasions from that sin, and 
the persuasions to the contrary. But, the Lord 
knows, . . • my sin did not amount to these. 

' And as touching that in the 12th chapter of the 
Hebrews, about Esau's selling his birth-right ; 
though this was that which killed me, and stood 
like a spear against me ; yet now I did consider, 
first, that his was not a hasty thought against the 
continual labor of his mind, but a thought con- 
sented to, and put in practice likewise, and that 
after some deliberation. Secondly, It was a pub- 
lic and open action, even before his brother, if not 
before many more. This made his sin of a far 
more heinous nature than otherwise it would have 
been. Thirdly, He continued to slight his birth- 
right ; he did eat and drink, and went his Way, 

6 When I had thus considered these scriptures, 
and found that thus to understand them was not 
against, but according to, other scriptures; this 
still added further to my encouragement and com- 



102 LIFE OF 

fort, and also gave a great blow to that objection, to 
wit, That the scriptures could not agree in the sal- 
vation of my soul. And now remained only the hin- 
der part of the tempest, for the thunder had gone 
beyond me. Only some drops did still remain, that, 
now and then, would fall upon me ; but because my 
former frights and anguish were very sore and 
deep, therefore it oft befel me still, as it befalleth 
those that have been scared with fire : I thought 
every voice was, Fire ! fire!' 

But now, looking aw r ay from his own variable 
frames of mind, he who had been so fearfully agi- 
tated, fixed his eyes on the Author of all his hopes, 
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for 
ever. ' Now,' he says, ' did my chains fall off my 
legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and 
irons. My temptations also fled away, so that from 
that time those dreadful scriptures of Goo! left off to 
trouble me ; now went I also home rejoicing, for 

the grace and love of God Oh ! methought 

Christ ! Christ ! there was nothing but Christ that 

was before my eyes 'Twas glorious to me 

to see his exaltation, and the worth and prevalency 
of all his benefits, and that because now I could look 
from myself to him, and would reckon that all those 
graces of God that now were green on me, were 
yet but like those cracked groats and fourpence- 
half pennies that rich men carry in their purses 
when their gold is in their trunks at home. Oh ! 
I saw my gold was in my trunk at home, in Christ 
my Lord and Savior.' 

Here several facts are specially worthy of being 
remembered. 



BUNYAN. 



103 



1. After being long and painfnlly agitated, Bun- 
yan was reminded of the Savior's own declaration, 
Him that cometh to me, I icill in no raise cast out ; 
and he welcomed it to his heart. He strove to 
hold it fast. And he saw that to come aright, was 
to come as he was, a sinner, and so cast himself 
at the feet of mercy, condemning himself for sin. 
* I was,' he remarks, * greatly holclen off from my 
former foolish practice of putting by the word of 
promise when it came into my mind For- 
merly, I thought I might not meddle with the 
promise, unless I felt its comfort ; but now it was 
no time thus to do. — Now, also, I would labor to 
take the word as God hath laid it down, without 
restraining the natural force of one syllable there- 
of. Oh ! what did I see in that blessed sixth 
chapter of John, And him that cometh to me, I will 
in no wise cast out /' 

2. When he began to look at his case in a more 
calm and sane exercise of his faculties than for- 
merly, he discovered and rejected the primary 
falsehood with which he had been deluded. He 
perceived that he had not sold his Savior. ' I went,' 
he says, ' another way to work, even to consider 
the nature of the blasphemous thought.' And, in 
taking a more correct view of his case, he may 
have been assisted by the representation which 
Luther, in his Commentary on the Epistle to the 
Galatians, gives respecting a clergyman at Halle, 
A. D. 1527, who, according to the statement of the 
illustrious Reformer, was led, by a diabolical delu- 
sion, to believe that he had so denied Christ as to 



104 LIFE OF 

be forever excluded from forgiveness, and thus to 
abandon himself to fatal despair.* 

3- He examined carefully the passages of scrip- 
ture, which, viewed at a distance, and out of their 
proper connections, had given him distress. ' I 
began,' he says, ' to take some measure of encour- 
agement, and to come close to them, to read them, 
and consider them, and to weigh their scope and 
tendency. The which, when I began to do, I 
found my visage changed ; for they looked not so 
grimly as before I thought they did.' 

4. He looked away from himself to Christ, 
' Now,' he informs us, ' now I could look from my- 
self to him.' 

While we look at ourselves, and contemplate 
only our sinfulness, we see enough to plunge us 
into despair. But when we look away from our- 
selves to Christ, the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sin of the world, — to Christ, the mighty, 
the compassionate Savior, Head over all things to 
the church, we hear his cheering voice, Come unto 
me all ye that labor und are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest ; we trust his power and grace ; and 
we rejoice in the hope of eternal life. 

* Idem, anno Domini mdxxvii, accidit illi misero Doctori 
Hallensi Kraus, qui dicebat, Ego negavi^ Christum ; ideo 
jam stat coram Patre et accusat me. Iliam cogitationem 
praestigiis diaboli captus tarn fortiter conceperat, ut nulla ad- 
hortatione aut consolatiqne, nullis divinis promissionibus 
pateretur eam < sibi excuti, atque ita desperavit, et seipsum 
miserrime occidit. Comment. Mart. Lutheri in III. Cap. ad 
Galat. V. p. 325. ed. 1554. Of this Commentary, it will be re- 
collected, Bunyan met with an English translation, in the lat- 
ter part of his long season of despondency. 



BUNYAN. 105 



From his Baptism in 1653 to his being falsely 
Accused. 

Now, for the first time, Bunyan expresssd to the 
small Nonconformist church at Bedford, most of 
whose members were Baptists, his desire to walk 
with them in the order and ordinances of Christ. 
He was admitted by them most cordially, and was 
baptized by their Pastor, 'holy Mr. Gifford,' A. D. 
1653. 

After the public profession of his faith, he went 
on his way rejoicing. But, before long, he was 
assailed w T ith thoughts whose evil character ac- 
corded well with their having come from the temp- 
ter, the evil one. ' While I thought,' he says, ' of 
that blessed ordinance of Christ which was his last 
supper with his disciples before his death, that 
scripture, Do this in remembrance of me* was 
made a very precious word unto me ; for by it the 
Lord did come down upon my conscience, with 
the discovery of his death for my sins ; and as I 
then felt, did as if he plunged me in the virtue of 
the same. But, behold, I had not been long a 
partaker at that ordinance ; but, such fierce and 
sad temptation did attend me at all times therein, 
both to blaspheme the ordinance, and to wish 
some deadly thing to those that then did eat there- 
of; that lest I should at any time be guilty of con- 
senting to these wicked and fearful thoughts, I was 
forced to bend myself all the while, to pray to God 
* Luke 22: 19: and 1 Cor. 11: 24. 



106 LIFE OF 

to keep me from such blasphemies ; and also to 
cry to God to bless the cup and bread to them, as 
it were, from mouth to mouth. The reason of this 
temptation, I have thought since, was, because I 
did not, with that reverence that became me, at 
first approach to partake thereof. Thus I contin- 
ued for three-quarters of a year, and could never 
have rest nor ease. But, at -the last, the Lord 
came in upon my soul with that same scripture by 
which my soul was visited before ; and after that, 
I have been usually very well and comfortable in 
the partaking of that blessed ordinance ; and have, 
I trust, therein discerned the Lord's body, as 
broken for my sins, and that his precious blood 
hath been shed for my transgressions.' 

Here unworthy thoughts were suggested to Bun- 
yan. He resisted and rejected them. They were 
still presented ; and still he firmly resisted them, 
and fervently prayed to God against them. He 
implored blessings for those whom he was mali- 
ciously and madly tempted to curse. At length, 
he was enabled to keep out the unwelcome, obtru- 
sive thoughts, by having his mind filled with suita- 
ble ones, arising from that precious injunction, Do 
this in remembrance of me. All this, the unsophis- 
ticated reader must admit, occurs in accordance 
with well ascertained laws of the human mind, 
with the experience of men in every age, and with 
the teachings of Christ and his apostles. 

At one time, and he mentions it in this connec- 
tion, Bunyan had alarming symptoms of a con- 
sumption. ' I was,' he states, ; suddenly and 
violently seized, and had much weakness in my 



BUNYAN. 107 

outward man ; insomuch that I thought I could not 
live. Now began I afresh to give myself up to a 
serious examination after my state and condition 
for the future, and of my evidences for that blessed 
world to come. For it hath, I bless the name of 
God, been my usual course, as always, so espe- 
cially in the day of affliction, to endeavor to keep 
my interest in the life to come, clear before my 
eyes. But I had no sooner begun to recall to 
mind my former experience of the goodness of God 
to my soul, but there came flocking into my mind 
an innumerable company of my sins and transgres- 
sions ; amongst which, these were at this time 
most to my affliction, namely, my deadness, dull- 
ness, and coldness in my holy duties ; my wander- 
ings of heart, my wearisomeness in all good things, 
my want of love to God, his ways and people; 
with this at the end of all, Are these the fruits of 
Christianity? Are these the tokens of a blessed 
man? 

8 At the apprehensions of these things, my sick- 
ness was doubled upon me ; for now I was sick in 
my inward man, my soul was clogged with guilt ; 
now also were my former experiences of God's 
goodness to me quite taken out of my mind, and 
hid as if they had never been. Now was my soul 
greatly pitched between these two considerations, 
Live I must not ; die I dare not. Now I sunk and 
fell in my spirit, and was giving up all for lost ; 
but, as I was walking up and down in the house, 
as a man in a most woful state, that word of God 
took hold of my heart, Ye are justified freely by his 
grace, through the redemption that is in Christ 



108 LIFE OF 

Jesus* But oh ! what a turn it made upon me. 
Now was I as one awakened out of some trouble- 
some sleep and dream ; and listening to this heav- 
enly sentence, I was as if I had heard it thus 
spoken to me : Sinner, thou thinkest that because 
of thy sins and infirmities, I cannot save thy soul ; 
but behold, my Son is by me, and upon him I look, 
and not on thee ; and shall deal with thee accord- 
ing as I am pleased with him. At this I was 
greatly enlightened in my mind, and made to under- 
stand, that God could justify a sinner at any time ; 
it was but his looking upon Christ, and imputing 
of his benefits to us, and the work was forthwith 
done. 

' And as I was thus in a muse, that scripture 
also came with great power upon my spirit, Not 
by ivorks of righteousness which we have done, but ac- 
cording to his mercy he hath saved us, by the wash- 
ing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.~\ 
Now was I got on high ; I saw myself within the 
arms of grace and mercy ; and though I was afraid 
to think of the dying hour, yet now I cried, Let rne 
die. Now death was lovely and beautiful in my 
sight ; for I saw, We shall never live indeed, till 
we be gone to the other world. Oh ! methought, 
this life is but a slumber, in comparison with that 
above. At this time, also, I saw more in these 
words, Heirs of God,\ than ever I shall be able to 
express while I live in this world 

1 Again, as I was at another time very ill and 
weak, all that time also the tempter did beset me 
strongly ; (for I find he is much for assaulting the 
* Rom. 3: 24. f Tit. 3 : 5, and 2 Tim. 1 : 9. } Rom. 8: 17. 



BI/NYAN. 109 

soul; when it begins to approach towards the 
grave, then is his opportunity;) laboring to hide 
from me my former experience of God's goodness ; 
also setting before me the terrors of death, and the 
judgment of God ; insomuch that at this time, 
through my fear of miscarrying for ever, (should I 
now die,) I was as one dead before death came, 
and was as if I had felt myself already descending 
into the pit ; methought I said, there was no way, 
but to hell I must go : but behold, just as I was in 
the midst of those fears, these words, • of the an- 
gels' carrying Lazarus into Abraham's bosom,' 
darted in upon me ; as who should say, So it shall 
be with thee when thou dost leave this world* 
This did sweetly revive my spirits, and help me to 
hope in God ; which when I had with comfort 
mused on awhile, that word fell with great weight 
upon my mind, O death ! where is thy sting ? O 
grave ! where is thy victory . ? * At this, I became 
well both in body and in mind, at once ; for my 
sickness did presently vanish, and I walked com- 
fortably in my work for God again. 

' At another time, though just before I was pretty 
well and savory in my spirit, yet suddenly there 
fell upon me a great cloud of darkness, which did 
so hide from me the things of God and Christ, that 
I was as if I had never seen or known them in my 
life. I was also so overrun in my soul with a 
senseless, heartless frame of spirit, that I could not 
feel my soul to move or stir after grace and life by 
Christ ; I was as if my loins were broken, or as if 
my hands and feet had been tied or bound with 

* 1 Cor. 15 : 55. 

10 



110 , LIFE OF 

chains. At this time also I felt some weakness to 
seize upon my outward man, which made still the 
other affliction the more heavy and uncomfortable 
to me.' 

Whoever has had much acquaintance with per- 
sons in a morbidly sensitive state, or has read such 
a work as that of Dr. Rush on the diseases of the 
mind, may be prepared to appreciate, in some de- 
gree, the facts here stated by Bunyan. The influ- 
ence of the mind upon the body, and of the body 
upon the mind, is a subject of great practical as 
well as speculative interest. It ought to be well 
understood by all, especially by physicians, and by 
ministers of the gospel. A certain diseased state 
of the body may predispose the mind to gloom and 
despondency; and this, for aught any man can 
prove, may be an occasion of assaults from the 
Christian's great spiritual adversary. How much, 
in any particular case, should be attributed to phy- 
sical causes, and how much to any other cause, it 
may not be easy nor very important to determine. 
It is more important to know all the facts pertain- 
ing to the case, that can be known, and to apply 
the appropriate remedies, both physical and reli- 
gious. 

He proceeds : ' After I had been in this condi- 
tion some three or four days, as I was sitting by 
the fire, I suddenly felt this word to sound in my 
heart, — I must go to Jesus ! At this, my former 
darkness and atheism fled away, and the blessed 
things of heaven were set in my view. While I 
was on this sudden thus overtaken with surprise, 
Wife, (said I,) is there ever such a scripture, 'I 



BUNYAN. Ill 

must go to Jesus V She said she could not tell : 
therefore I stood musing still, to see if I could re- 
member such a place. I had not sat above two or 
three minutes, but that came bolting in upon me, 
And to an innumerable company of angels ; and, 
withal, the 12th chapter of Hebrews, about the 
Mount Sion, was set before mine eyes. Then, 
with jo j I told my wife, O ! now I know, I know ! 
But that night was a good night to me ; I had 
never had but few better. I longed for the com- 
pany of some of God's people, that I might have 
imparted unto them what God had showed me. 
Christ was a precious Christ to my soul that night, 
I could scarce lie in my bed for joy, and peace, 
and triumph, through Christ ! This great glory 
did not continue upon me until morning ; yet the 
12th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews was a 
blessed scripture to me for many days together 
after this. The words are these : Ye are come to 
Mount Sion, the city of the living God, to the hea- 
venly Jerusalem., and to an innumerable compuny of 
angels, to the general assembly and church of the 
first born, which are written in heaven ; to God the 
Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made 
perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Tes- 
tament, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh 
better things than that of Abel. Through this sen- 
tence the Lord led me over and over, first to this 
word, and then to that, and showed me wonderful 
glory in every one of them. These words also 
have oft, since that time, been great refreshment 
to my spirit. Blessed be God for having mercy 
on me!' 



112 LIFE OP 

Bunyan's ardent piety, his acquaintance with 
the scriptures, and his ability of utterance, soon 
made a favorable impression on those who knew 
him the most intimately. He was, therefore, earn- 
estly requested by the leading members of Mr. 
Gifford's church, ' the most able for judgment and 
holiness of life, 5 to speak a word of exhortation in 
one of the meetings. At first, he was abashed 
and reluctant ; but being by them still entreated, 
he consented to their request; • and,' he adds, 'I 
did twice, at two several assemblies, (but in pri- 
vate,) though with much weakness and infirmity, 
discover my gift amongst them ; at which they not 
only seemed to be, but did frequently protest, as in 
the sight of the great God, they were both affected 
and comforted ; and gave thanks to the Father of 
mercies for the grace bestowed on me. After this, 
sometimes, when some of them did go into the 
country to teach, they would also that I should go 
with them ; where, though as yet I did not, nor 
durst make use of my gift in an open way, yet 
more privately, still, as I came amongst the good 
people in those places, I did sometimes speak a 
word of admonition unto them also ; the which 
they, as the other, received with rejoicing at the 
mercy of God to me -ward, professing their souls 
were edified thereby. 

1 Wherefore, to be brief; at last, being still de- 
sired by the church, after some solemn prayer to 
the Lord, with fasting, I was more particularly 
called forth, and appointed to a more ordinary and 
public preaching of the word ; not only to and 
amongst them that believed, but also to offer the 



BUNYAN. 113 

gospel to those who had not -yet received the faith 
thereof; about which time I did evidently find in 
my mind a secret pricking forward thereto ; though, 
I bless God, not for desire of vain-glory ; for at 
that time I was most afflicted with the fiery darts 
of the devil concerning my eternal state. But yet 
I could not be content, unless I was found in the 
exercise of my gift. 

He was much encouraged by the continued 
desire of his brethren, by various passages of scrip- 
ture, and by examples of holy men set forth in 
Fox's Acts and Monuments, or Book of Martyrs. 
*■ Wherefore,' he says, ' though of myself of all 
the saints the most unworthy, yet I, but with great 
fear and trembling at the sight of my own weak- 
ness, did set upon the work, and did, according to 
my gift, and the proportion of my faith, preach that 
blessed gospel that God has showed me in the 
holy word of truth ; which, when the country un- 
derstood, they came in to hear the word by hun- 
dreds, and that from all parts, though upon divers 
and sundry accounts. And I thank God, he gave 
unto me some measure of bowels and pity for their 
souls ; which also did put me forward to labor, 
with great diligence and earnestness, to find out 
such a word as might, if God would bless it, lay 
hold of, and awaken the conscience ; in which, 
also, the good Lord had respect to the desire of 
his servant. For I had not preached long, before 
some began to be touched, and be greatly afflicted 
in their minds at the apprehension of the greatness 
of their sin? and of their need of Jesus Christ ! . . . 

4 Seeing them, in both their words and deeds, to 



114 LIFE OF 

be so constant, and, also in their hearts so earnestly 
pressing after knowledge of Jesus Christ, rejoicing 
that ever God did send me where they were ; then I 
began to conclude it might be so, that God had own- 
ed in his work such a foolish one as I ; and then came 
that word of God to my heart, The blessing of them 
that are ready to perish is come upon me ; yea, I caus- 
ed the widow's heart to sing for joy.* At this, there- 
fore, I rejoiced ; yea, the tears of those whom God 
did awaken by my preaching would be both solace 
and encouragement to me. I thought on those 
sayings, Who is he that maketh me glad, but the 
same that is made sorry by me ?\ and again, Though 
I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am 
unto you, for the seal of my apostleship are ye in 
the Lord.% These things, therefore, were as ano- 
ther argument unto me, that God had called me to, 
and stood by me in this work. 

( In my preaching of the word, I took special 
notice of this one thing, namely, that the Lord did 
lead me to begin where his word begins with sin- 
ners ; that is, to condemn all flesh. ... I preach- 
ed what I felt, what 1 smartingly did feel, even 
that under which my poor soul did groan and trem- 
ble to astonishment. Indeed, I have been as one 
sent to them from the dead. I went myself in 
chains, to preach to them in chains, and carried 
that fire in my own conscience, that I persuaded 
them to be aware of. I can truly say, and that 
without dissembling, that when I have been to 
preach, I have gone full of guilt and terror even to 
the pulpit door ; and there it hath been taken off, 

* Job 29: 13. f 2 Cor. 2:2. jl Cor. 9:2. 



BUNYAN. 115 

and I have been at liberty in my mind until I have 
done my work ; and then immediately, even before 
I could get down the pulpit-stairs, I have been as 
bad as I was before ; yet God carried me on, but 
surely, with a strong hand 

i Thus I went on for the space of two years, 
crying out against men's sins, and their fearful 
state because of them. After which the Lord 
came in upon my own soul, with some sure peace 
and comfort through Christ ; for he did give me 
many sweet discoveries of his blessed grace through 
him. Wherefore, now I altered in my preaching, 
(for still I preached what I saw and felt ;) now, 
therefore, I did much labor to hold with Jesus 
Christ in all his offiees, relations, and benefits unto 
the world ; and did strive also to discover, to con- 
demn, and remove those false supports and props, 
on which the world doth lean, and by them fall 
and perish. On these things also I staid as long 
as on the other. 

4 After this, God led me into something of the 
mystery of the union of Christ. Wherefore that 1 
discovered and showed to them also. And when I 
had travelled through these three chief points of 
the word of God, about the space of five years or 
more, I was caught in my present practice, and 
cast into prison, where I have lain, above as long 
again, to confirm the truth by way of suffering, as 
I was before in testifying of it according to the 
scriptures, in a way of preaching.' 

When he preached, his heart would often cry to 
God that He would make the truth effectual to the 
salvation of the soul. He was distressed at the 



116 LIFE OP 

thought that, (like the good seed in the parable,) it 
might be taken away from the conscience by the 
enemy, and so become unfruitful ; and hence he 
labored to speak with such point and particularity, 
as, if possible, to fasten it there. And at the close 
of the exercises, ' it hath,' he says, ' gone to my 
heart, to think the word should now fall as rain on 
stony places ; still wishing from my heart, Oh ! 
that they who have heard me speak this day did 
but see as I do, what sin, death, hell, and the curse 
of God is ; and also what the grace, and love, and 
mercy of God is, through Christ, to men in such 
a case as they are who are yet estranged from 
him ! . . . . 

■ When I first went to preach the word abroad, 
the doctors and priests of the country did open 
wide against me ; but I was persuaded of this, not 
to render railing for railing, but to see how many 
of their carnal professors I could convince of their 
miserable state by the law, and of the want and 
worth of Christ. For, thought I, this shall answer 
for me in time to come, when they shall be for my 
hire before their face. I never cared to meddle 
with things that were controverted and in dispute 
among the saints, especially things of the lowest 
nature ; yet, it pleased me much to contend with 
great earnestness for the word of faith, and the 
remission of sins by the death and sufferings of 
Jesus. But, I say, as to other things, I would let 
them alone ; because I saw they engendered strife ; 
and because that they, neither in doing nor in 
leaving undone, did commend us to God to be his. 
Besides, I saw my work before me did run into 



BUNYAN. 117 

another channel, even to carry an awakening 
word. To that, therefore, I did stick and adhere. . . 

' If any of those who were awakened by my 
ministry did after that fall back, (as sometimes too 
many did,) I can truly say, their loss hath been 
more to me, than if my own children had been 
going to the grave. I think, verily, I may speak 
it without offence to the Lord, nothing has gone so 
near me as that ; unless it was the fear of the loss 
of the salvation of my own soul. I have counted 
as if I had goodly buildings and lordships in those 
places where my [spiritual] children were born. 
My heart hath been so wrapped up in the glory of 
this excellent work, that I counted myself more 
blessed and honored of God by this, than if he had 
made me the emperor of the Christian world, or 
the lord of all the glory of the earth without it ! 
O these words ! He that converteth a sinner from 
the error of his way, doth save a soul from death* 
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life ; and he 
that ivinneth souls is wise.'f They that be ivise 
shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and 
they that turn many to righteousness , as the stars 
for ever and ever.\ For ichat is our hope^ our joy , 
or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the pre- 
sence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming 1 For 
ye are our glory and joy.§ These, I -say, with 
many others of a like nature, have been great 
refreshments to me.' 

In fulfilling his ministry, he greatly desired to 
get into the darkest places of the country; 'yet 

* James 5: 20. f Prov. 12; 30. 

$ Dan. 12: 3. § IThess. 2: 19,20. 



118 LIFE OF 

not,' he says, 'because I could not endure the 
light, (for I feared not to show my gospel to any,) 
but because I found my spirit lean most after 
awakening and converting work.' 
♦ Sometimes he was tempted to be entirely dis- 
couraged, fearing that he should not be able to ad- 
dress the people at all to their edification ; at 
which times his body would lose its strength, and 
a strange faintness come over him. Sometimes, 
when he was preaching, he was violently assaulted 
with thoughts of blasphemy, and tempted to utter 
them before the congregation. Sometimes, when 
about to preach on some searching text, he says, 
he found the tempter suggest, What ! will you 
preach this? This condemns yourself. Of this 
your own soul is guilty. Wherefore, preach not 
of this at all ; or, if you do, yet so mince it as 
to make way for your own escape ; lest, instead 
of awakening others, you lay that guilt upon your 
own soul, that you will never get from under. 

But he thanks the Lord that he was kept from 
consenting to these evil suggestions. 

Often, also, while engaged in his ministerial 
labors, he informs us, he was tempted to think too 
highly of himself; ' and,' he adds, ' though I dare 
not say I have not been affected with this, yet truly 
the Lord, of his precious mercy, hath so carried it 
towards me, that, for the most part, I have had but 
small joy to give way to such a thing ; for it hath 
been my every day's portion to be let into the evil 
of my own heart, and still made to see such a mul- 
titude of corruptions and infirmities therein, that it 
hath caused hanging down of the head under all 



BUNYAN. 119 

my gifts and attainments. I have felt this thorn in 
the flesh, the very mercy of God to me. I have also 
had, together with this, some notable place or other 
of the word presented before me ; which word hath 
contained in it some sharp and piercing sentence 
concerning the perishing of the soul, notwithstand- 
ing gifts and parts ; as, for instance, that hath been 
of great use to me, Though I speak with the tongues 
of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am 
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cynibaU 

Bunyan's ministry was remarkably successful. 
But for the purpose of causing it to be abandoned, 
the ignorant and malicious were stirred up to load 
him with slanders and reproaches. It was 'whirled 
up and down the country,' that he was a sorcerer, 
a Jesuit, a highwaymnn, and the like. But, above 
all, it was most confidently asserted that he was an 
adulterer. ' These things,' he replies, ' upon mine 
own account, trouble me not ; no, though they were 
twenty times more than they are. I have a good 
conscience ; and whereas they speak evil of me 
as an evil-doer, they shall be ashamed that falsely 
accuse my good conversation in Christ. So, then, 
what shall I say to those who have thus bespattered 
me ? Shall I threaten them ? Shall I chide them ? 
Shall I flatter them ? Shall I entreat them to hold 
their tongues ? No, not I. Were it not for that 
these things make them ripe for damnation that 
are the authors and abettors, I would say unto 
them, Report it ; because it will increase my 
glory.' 

He then proceeds to challenge his accusers, 
4 when they have used the utmost of their endea- 



120 LIFE OF 

vors, and made the fullest inquiry that they can, to 
prove against me truly, that there is any woman 
in heaven, or earth, or hell, that can say I have at 
any time, in any place, by day or night, so much 
as attempted to be naught with them. And speak 
I thus to beg mine enemies into a good esteem of 
me ? No, not I. I will in this beg belief of no 
man. Believe or disbelieve me in this, all is a 
case to me. My foes have missed their mark in 
this their shooting at me. I am not the man. I 
wish that they themselves be guiltless. If all the 
fornicators and adulterers in England were hanged 
up by the neck, till they be dead, John Bunyan, 
the object of their envy, would be still alive and 
well. I know not whether there be such a thing 
as a woman, breathing under the copes of the hea- 
vens, but by their apparel, their children, or by 

common fame, except my wife 

' And now for a wind-up in this matter, I call 
not only men, but angels, to prove me guilty of 
having carnally to do with any woman, except my 
wife ; nor am I afraid to do it a second time, 
knowing that I cannot offend the Lord in such a 
case, to call God for a record upon my soul, that 
in these things I am innocent. Not that I have 
been thus kept because of any goodness in me 
more than any other ; but God has been merciful 
to me, and has kept me ; to whom I pray, that he 
will keep me still, not only from this, but every 
evil way and work, and preserve me to his hea- 
venly kingdom. Amen.' 



BUNYAN. 121 



From his Arrest to his Imprisonment for Preaching, 
in 1660. 

The arrest and imprisonment of Bunyan, for 
preaching the Gospel contrary to the laws, are 
important events in his history. He was the first 
who suffered for Non-conformity in the reign of 
Charles II. It was only five months after the 
restoration of the regal power, and the placing of 
that monarch on the throne of his father ; for it 
was in November, 1660. 

He had been requested by some of his friends in 
the country to come and preach on the 12th day 
of that month, at Samwell, near Harlington, in 
Bedfordshire. On arriving at the place appointed, 
the dwelling-house of one of those friends, he heard 
that a warrant was out to take him. His friends, 
apprehensive of what might befal the preacher, 
suggested that it might be better for him to escape 
immediately. ' No,' replied Bunyan, ■ by no means. 
Come, be of good cheer ; let us not be daunted. 
Our cause is good ; we need not be ashamed of it ; 
to preach God's word, it is so good a work, that 
we shall be well rewarded if we suffer for it.' 

Then he walked out into the enclosed field, and 
while pondering the subject, 4 this,' he remarks, 
' came into my mind : That I had showed myself 
hearty and courageous in preaching, and had, bless- 
ed be grace, made it my business to encourage 
others, therefore, thought I, if I should now run, and 
make an escape, it will be of a very ill savor in the 

11 



122 LIFE OF 

country. For what will my weak and newly con- 
verted brethren think of it, but that I was not so 
strong in deed as in word ? Also I feared that if I 
should run now there was a warrant out for me, I 
might by so doing make them afraid to stand, 
when great words only should be spoken to them. 
Besides, I thought, that seeing God of his mercy 
had chosen me to go upon the forlorn hope in this 
country ; that is, to be the first that should be op- 
posed for the gospel ; if I should fly, it might be a 
discouragement to the whole body that might fol- 
low after. And further, I thought the world there- 
by might take occasion at my cowardliness to have 
blasphemed the gospel, and to have had some 
grounds to suspect worse of me and my profession 
than I deserved. These things, with others con- 
sidered by me, I came in again to the house, with 
a full resolution to keep the meeting, and not to go 
away, though I could have been gone about an 
hour before the officer apprehended me ; but I 
would not ; for I was resolved to see the utmost 
of what they could say or do unto me. For, bless- 
ed be the Lord, I knew of no evil that I had said 
or done.' 

And so he stood up in his place, and began the 
religious services. From a full heart he poured 
forth prayer for the blessing of God upon the op- 
portunity ; and he was about to preach from 
John 9 : 34 : — Dost thou believe on the Son of 
God ? At this moment, while he and the listening, 
anxious little assembly had only their Bibles in 
their hands, ready to speak and tohear the Gos- 
pel, the constable entered and apprehended him, 



BUNYAN. 123 

so that he could not proceed. ' But,' says the pri- 
soner, in the account which he wrote of this affair, a 
few days after its occurrence, ' before I went away, 
I spake some few words of counsel and encourage- 
ment to the people, declaring to them that they 
saw we were prevented of our opportunity to speak 
and hear the word of God, and were like to suffer 
for the same ; desiring them that they would not 
be discouraged ; for it was a mercy to suffer upon 
so good account. For we might have been appre- 
hended as thieves or murderers, or for other wick- 
edness ; but, blessed be God, it was not so : We 
suffer as christians for well doing ; and we had 
better be the persecuted than the persecutors. — 
But the constable and the justice's man waiting on 
us, would not be at quiet till they had me away 
from the house. But because the justice was not 
at home that day, there was a friend of mine en- 
gaged for me to bring me to the constable on the 
morrow morning. Otherwise, the constable must 
have charged a watch with me, or have secured 
me some other ways, my crime was so great. So 
on the next morning we went to the constable, 
and so to the justice. He asked the constable 
what we did where we were met together, and 
what we had with us. I trow, he meant whether 
we had armor or not. But when the constable 
told him that there were only met a few of us 
together to preach and hear the word, and no 
sign of any thing else, he could not well tell what 
to say. Yet because he had sent for me, he did 
adventure to put out a few proposals to me, which 
were to this effect ; namely : What I did there ; 



124 LIFE OF 

♦ 4 

and why I did not content myself with following 
my calling ; for it was against the law that such 
as I # should be admitted to do as I did. 

' To which I answered, that the intent of my 
coming thither, and to other places, was to in- 
struct, and counsel people to forsake their sins, 
and close in with Christ, lest they did miserably 
perish ; and that I could do both these without 
confusion, (to wit,) follow my calling, and preach 
the word also. At this, he was in a chafe, as it 
appeared ; for he said that he would break the 
neck of our meetings. 

' I said, it may be so. Then he wished me to 
get me sureties to be bound for me, or else he 
would send me to the jail. 

' My sureties being ready, I called them in, and 
when the bond for my appearance was made, he 
told them that they were bound to keep me from 
preaching ; and that if I did preach, their bonds 
would be forfeited. To which I answered, that 
then I should break them ; for I should not leave 
speaking the word of God ;— even to counsel, com- 
fort, exhort, and teach the people among whom I 
came ; and I thought this to be a work that had no 
hurt in it, but was rather worthy of commendation 
than blame. 

1 Whereat he told me, that if they would not be 
so bound, my mittimus must* be made, and I sent 
to the jail, there to lie to the quarter-sessions. 

'Now while my mittimus was a making, the 
justice was withdrawn, and in comes an old enemy 
to the truth, Dr. Lindale, who when he was come 
in, fell to taunting at me with many reviling terms. 



BUNYAN. 125 

To whom I answered, that I did not come thither 
to talk with him, but with the justice. Whereat 
he supposing that I had nothing to say for myself, 
triumphed as if he had got the victory ; charging 
and condemning me for meddling with that for 
which I could show no warrant, and asked me if I 
had taken the oaths ; and if I had not, it was pity 
but that I should be sent to prison. I told him, 
that if I was minded, I could answer to any sober 
question that he should put to me. He then urged 
me again, how I could prove it lawful for me to 
preach, with a great deal of confidence of the vic- 
tory. But at last, because he should see that I 
could answer him if I listed, I cited him to that in 
Peter, which saith, as every man hath received the 
gift, even so let him minister the same. 

'Ah, saith he, to whom is that spoken? To 
whom ? said *I ; why, to every man that hath 
received a gift from God. Mark ; the apostle 
saith, as every man hath received a gift from God. 
And again, Ye may all prophecy one by one. 
Whereat the man was a little stopt, and went a 
softlier pace. But, not being willing to lose the 
day, he began again, and said : Indeed, I do re- 
member that I have read of one Alexander, a cop- 
persmith, who did much oppose and disturb the 
apostles. (Aiming, it is like, at me, because I 
was a tinker.) To which I answered, that I also 
had read of very many priests and Pharisees, that 
had their hands in the blood of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Ay, saith he, and you are one of those 
Scribes and Pharisees ; for you with a pretence, 
make long prayers to devour widows' houses. I 



126 LIFE OF 

answered that if he had got no more by preaching 
and praying than I had done, he could not be so 
rich as now he was. But, that scripture coming 
into my mind, answer not a fool according to his 
folly, I was as sparing of my speech as I could 
be, without prejudice to the truth. 

* Now by this time, my mittimus was made, and 
I committed to the constable to be sent to the jail 
in Bedford. But as I was going, two of my breth- 
ren met with me by the way, and desired the con- 
stable to stay, supposing that they should prevail 
with the justice, through the favor of a pretended 
friend, to let me go at liberty. So we did stay, 
while they went to the justice, and after much dis- 
course with him, it came to this ; that if I would 
come to him again, and say some certain words to 
him, I should be released. Which when they told 
me, I said if the words were such as' might be said 
with a good conscience, I would ; otherwise, I 
would not. So, through their importunity, I went 
back again, but not believing that I should be de- 
livered ; for I feared their spirit was too full of 
opposition to the truth, to let me go, unless I should 
in something or other dishonor my God, and wound 
my conscience. Wherefore, as I went, I lifted up 
my heart to God for light, and strength, to be kept, 
that I might not do any thing that might either 
dishonor him, or wrong my own soul, or be a 
grief or discouragement to any that were inclining 
after the Lord Jesus Christ. 

f When I came to the justice again, there was 
Mr. Foster, of Bedford, who, coming out of another 
room, and seeing me by the light of the candle, 



BUN Y AN. 127 

(for it was dark night when I went thither,) he 
said unto me, Who is there, John Bunyan ? With 
much seeming affection as if he would have leaped 
on my neck and kissed me ; which made me 
somewhat wonder,- that such a man as he, with 
whom I had so little acquaintance, and besides, 
that had ever been a close opposer of the ways of 
God, should carry himself so -full of love to me. 
But afterwards, when I saw what he did, it caused 
me to remember those sayings, Their tongues are 
smoother than oil, but their words are drawn 
swords. And again, Beware of men. When I 
had answered him, that, blessed be God, I was 
well, he said, what is the occasion of your being 
here ? or to that purpose. To whom I answered, 
that I was at a meeting of people a little way off, 
intending to speak a word of exhortation to them. 
The justice hearing thereof, (said I,) was pleased 
to send his warrant to fetch me before him. 

' So (said he) I understand. But well, if you 
will promise to call the people no more together, 
you shall have your liberty to go home ; for my 
brother is very loath to send you to prison if you 
will De but ruled. 

; Sir, said I, pray what do you mean by calling 
the people together ? My business is not any thing 
among them when they are come together, but to 
exhort them to look after the salvation of their 
souls. 

6 Saith he, we must not enter into explication or 
dispute now ; but if you will say you will call the 
people no more together, you may have your 
liberty ; if not, you must be sent away to prison. 



128 LIFE OF 

' Sir, said I, I shall not force or compel any 
man to hear me ; but yet, if I come into any place 
where there is a people met together, I should, 
according to the best of my skill and wisdom, ex- 
hort and counsel them to seek after the Lord 
Jesus Christ, for the, salvation of their souls. 

' He said, that was none of my work ; I must 
follow my calling ; »and if I would but leave off 
preaching, and follow my calling, I should have 
the justice's favor, and be acquitted presently. 

' To whom I said that I could follow my calling 
and that too, namely, preaching the word. And I 
did look upon it as my duty to do them both, as I 
had an opportunity. 

' He said, to have any such meetings was 
against the law ; and, therefore, he would have 
me le^ve off, and say, I would call the people no 
more together. 

' To whom I said, that I durst not make any 
further promise ; for my conscience would not 
suffer me to do it. And again, I did look upon it 
as my duty to do as much good as I could, not only 
in my trade, but also in communicating to all peo- 
ple wheresoever I came, the best knowledge 1 had 
in the word. 

1 He told me that I was the nearest the Papists 
of any, and that he would convince me of immedi- 
ately. I asked him, wherein ? He said, in that 
we understood the scriptures literally. I told him, 
that those that were to be understood literally we 
understood so ; but for those that were to be 
understood otherwise, we endeavored to understand 
them. He said, which of the scriptures do you 



BUNYAN. 129. 

understand literally ? I said this, He that believeth 
shall be saved. This was to be understood just as 
it is spoken, that whosoever believeth in Christ, 
shall, according to the plain and simple words of 
the text, be saved. He said that I was ignorant, 
and did not understand the scriptures ; for how 
(said he) can you understand them when you know 
not the original Greek ? To whom I said, that if 
that was his opinion, that none could understand 
the scriptures but those that had the original 
Greek, then but a very few of the poorest sort 
should be saved ; (this is harsh ;) yet the scrip- 
ture saith, that God hides his things from the wise 
and prudent, (that is, from the learned of the 
world,) and reveals them to babes and sucklings. 

' He said there was none that heard me but 
a company of foolish people. I told him that there 
were the wise as well as the foolish that do hear 
me ; and again, those that are most commonly 
counted foolish by the world, are the wisest before 
God ; also, that God had rejected the wise, and 
mighty, and noble, and chose the foolish and the 
base. 

1 He told me that I made people neglect their 
calling ; and that God had commanded people to 
work six days, and serve him on the seventh. I 
told him, that it was the duty of people, (both rich 
and poor,) to look out for their souls on those 
days as well as for their bodies ; and that God 
would have his people exhort one another daily 9 
while it is called to-day. He said again, that there 
were none but a company of poor, simple, igno- 
rant people that came to hear me. I told him, 



130 LIFE OF 

that the foolish and ignorant had most need of 
teaching and information ; and, therefore, it would 
be profitable for me to go on in that work. 

1 Well, said he, to conclude, but will you promise 
that you will not call the people together any 
more ? and then you may be released and go 
home. I told him, that I durst say no more than 
I had said ; for I durst not leave off that work 
which God had called me to. So he withdrew 
from me ; and then came several of the justice's 
servants to me, and told me that I stood so much 
upon a nicety. Their master, they said, was wil- 
ling to let me go ; and if I would but say I would 
call the people no more together, I might have my 
liberty. I told them there were more ways than 
one, in which a man might be said to call the peo- 
ple together. As for instance, if a man get upon 
the market place, and there read a book, or the 
like, though he do not say to the people, Sirs, come 
hither and hear ; yet if they come to him because 
he reads, he, by his very reading, may be said to 
call them together ; because they would not have 
been there to hear, if he had not been there to 
read. And seeing this might be termed a calling 
the people together, I durst not say I would not 
call them together ; for then, by the same argu- 
ment, my preaching might be said to call them 
together. 

1 Then came the justice and Mr. Foster to me 
again. (We had a little more discourse about 
preaching, but because the method of it is out of 
mind, I pass it.) And when they saw that I was 
at a point, and would not be moved nor persuaded. 



BUNYAN. 131 

Mr. Foster told the justice that then he must send 
me away to prison ; and that he would do well, 
also, if he would present all them that were the 
cause of my coming among them to meetings. 
Thus we parted. And verily, as I was going forth 
of the doors, I had much ado to forbear saying to 
them, that I carried the peace of God along with 
me. But I held my peace, and, blessed be the 
Lord, went away to prison with God's comfort in 
my poor soul. 



Efforts of his Brethren and of Mrs. Bunyanfor 
his Liberation. 

" After I had lain in the jail five or six days, the 
brethren sought means again to get me out by 
bondsmen ; (for so run my mittimus, that I should 
lie there till I could find sureties.) They went to 
a justice at Elstow, one Mr. Crumpton, to desire 
him to take bond for my appearing at the quarter- 
sessions. At the first he told them he would ; but 
afterwards he made a demur at the business, and 
desired first to see my mittimus, which run to this 
purpose : that I went about to several conventicles 
in this county, to the great disparagement of the 
government of the Church of England, &c. When 
he had seen it, he said that there might be some- 
thing more against me than was expressed in my 
mittimus ; and that he was but a young man, 
therefore, he durst not do it. This my jailor told 



132 LIFE OF 

me. Whereat I was not at all daunted, but rather 
glad, and saw evidently that the Lord had heard 
me ; for before I went down to the justice, I 
begged of God, that if I might do more good by- 
being at liberty than in prison, that then I might 
be set at liberty ; but if not, his will be done. 
For I was not altogether without hopes that my 
imprisonment might be an awakening to the 
saints in the country. Therefore, I could not tell 
well which to choose : only I, in that manner, did 
commit the thing to God. And, verily, at my 
return I did meet my God sweetly in the prison 
again, comforting me and satisfying me that it was 
his will and mind that I should be there. 

4 When I came back again to prison, as I was 
musing at the slender answer of the justice, this 
word dropped in upon my heart with some life, 
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 

' Thus have I in short declared the manner and 
occasion of my being in prison, where I lie wait- 
ing the good will of God, to do with me as he 
pleaseth ; knowing that not one hair of my head 
can fall to the ground without the will of my 
Father which is in heaven. Let the rage and 
malice of men be never so great, they can do no 
more, nor go no farther, than God permits them. 
But when they have done their worst, we know 
all things shall work together for good to them that 
love God. Farewell.' 

At the next sessions in Bedford, after lying in 
prison more than seven weeks, he was indicted as 
an upholder of unlawful assemblies, and as not 
conforming to the national worship in the Church 



BUNYAN. 133 

of England. He underwent a hasty and supercili- 
ous examination before the justices, and received 
the following sentence : ' You must be had back 
again to prison, and there lie for three months fol- 
lowing ; and at three months' end, if you do not 
submit to go to church to hear divine service, and 
leave your preaching, you must be banished the 
realm : and if after such a day as shall be ap- 
pointed you to be gone, you shall be found in this 
realm, or be found to come over again without 
special license from the king, . . you must stretch 
by the neck for it, I tell you plainly.' 

Bunyan could not but feel that his case bore a 
strong resemblance to that of the apostles Peter 
and John, when they replied to their judges, 
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken 
unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we 
cannot but speak the things which we have seen 
and heard.* And he replied, ' If I were out of 
prison to-day, I would preach the gospel to-morrow, 
by the help of God.' Some one made him an 
answer ; but he could not tell what it was ; for 
the jailor pulled him away to be gone. Thus he 
left the court. ' And,' he adds, ' I can truly say, I 
bless the Lord Jesus Christ for it, that my heart 
was sweetly refreshed in the time of my examina- 
tion, and also afterwards, at my returning to the 
prison ; so that I found Christ's words more than 
bare trifles, where he saith, I will give you a 
mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall 
not be able to gainsay nor resist ; and that his 
peace no man can take from us.' 

* Acts 4 : 19, 20. 



134 LIFE OF 

At the end of the three months, the clerk of 
the Peace was sent to admonish Bunyan, and 
receive his submission. He ^conversed with him 
in a very plausible manner, endeavoring to per- 
suade him to give up his preaching, and content 
himself with doing good ' in a neighborly way.' 
The prisoner replied, ; I bless the Lord that my 
heart is at that point, that if any man can lay any 
thing to my charge, either in doctrine or in prac- 
tice, in this particular, that can be proved error or 
heresy, I am willing to disown it, even in the very 
market place. But if it be truth, then to stand to 
it to the last drop of my blood. And sir, you 
ought to commend me for so doing. To err, and 
to be a heretic, are two things. I am no heretic ; 
because I will not stand refractorily to defend any 
one thing that is contrary to the word. Prove any- 
thing which I hold to be an error, and I will re- 
cant it.' 

But, said the clerk, what if you should forbear 
a-while, and sit still, till you see further how 
things will go ? ' Sir,' Bunyan replied, * WicklifFe 
saith that 'he which leaveth off preaching and 
hearing of the word of God for fear of excommuni- 
cation of men, is already excommunicated of God ; 
and shall, in the day of judgment, be counted a 
traitor to Christ.' .... 

He proceeded, in the spirit of the great Refor- 
mation, to maintan that the scriptures duly com- 
pared with each other, should be our guide. But 
are you willing, said the clerk, to stand to the 
judgment of the church ? Yes sir, it was replied, 
to the approbation of the church of God : (The 



BUNYAN. 135 

church's judgment is best expressed in scripture.) 
. . . Moreover, to cut off all occasions of suspi- 
cion from any, as touching the harmlessness of my 
doctrine, I would willingly take the pains to give 
any one the notes of all my sermons ; for I do 
sincerely desire to live quietly in my country, and 
to submit to the present authority. 

Well, neighbor Bunyan, said the clerk, I would, 
indeed, wish you seriously to consider of these 
things, between this and the quarter sessions, and 
to submit yourself. You may do much good if 
you continue still in the land. But, alas ! what 
benefit will it be to your friends, or what good can 
it do to them, if you should be sent away beyond 
the seas into Spain, or Canstantinople, or some 
other remote part of the world ? Pray be ruled. 

Indeed, sir, I hope he will be ruled, added the 
jailor. I shall desire, said Bunyan, in all godli- 
ness and honesty to behave myself in the nation 
whilst I am in it, and if I must be so dealt with, 
as you say, I hope God will help me to bear what 
shall be laid upon me. I know no evil that I have 
done in this ma.tter, to be so used. I speak as in 
the presence of God. 

You know, argued the clerk in reply, (so closes 
the interesting account which Bunyan has given 
of this interview,) 'you know that the scripture 
saith, The powers that be, are ordtiined of God. I 
said, yes ; and that I was to submit to the king as 
supreme, and to the governors as to them that 
are sent by him. Well then, said he, the king 
commands you, that you should not have any 
private meetings ; because it is against his law, 



136 LIFE OF 

and he is ordained of God, therefore you should 
not have any. I told him that Paul did own the 
powers that were in his day as being of God ; and 
yet he was often in prison under them for all that. 
And also, though Jesus Christ told Pilate that he 
had no power against him, but of God, yet he died 
under the same Pilate ; and yet, said I, I hope you 
will not say, that either Paul or Christ was such 
as did deny magistracy, and so sinned against God 
in slighting the ordinance. Sir, said I, the law 
hath provided two ways of obeying : The one to 
do that which I in my conscience do believe that 
I am bound to do actively ; and [the other] where 
I cannot obey actively ; — there I am willing to lie 
down, and to suffer what they shall do unto me. 
A^ this, he sat still and said no more ; which when 
he had done, I did thank him for his civil and 
meek discoursing with me ; and so we parted. O, 
that we might meet in heaven !' 

The following document needs no comment. It 
will speak to the heart of every reader, while it 
will shed some light on the position and the char- 
acter of the celebrated Sir Matthew Hale, the 
Lord Chief Justice. Bunyan who begins it w T ith 
a few prefatory remarks, calls it a Discourse be- 
tween my Wife and the Judges, with others, touch- 
ing my deliverance at the assizes following ; the 
which I took from her own mouth. 

After that I had received this sentence of ban- 
ishing, or hanging, from them, and after the 
former admonition, touching the determination of 
justices, if I did not recant ; just when the time 
drew nigh, in which I should have abjured, or have 



BUNYAN, 137 

done worse, (as Mr. Cobb [the clerk] told me,) 
came the time in which the king was to be 
crowned. Now at the coronation of kings, there 
is usually a releasement of divers prisoners, by 
virtue of his coronation ; in which privilege also I 
should have had my share ; but that they took me 
for a convicted person, and therefore, unless I sued 
out a pardon, (as they called it,) I could have no 
benefit thereby, notwithstanding. Yet, for as much 
as the coronation proclamation did give liberty 
from the day the king was crowned to that day 
twelvemonth to sue them out ; therefore, though 
they would not let me out of prison, as they let out 
thousands, yet they could not meddle with me, as 
touching the execution of their sentence ; because 
of the liberty offered for the suing out of pardons. 
Whereupon I continued in prison till the next 
assizes, which are called midsummer assizes, be- 
ing then kept in August, 1661. 

Now N at that assizes, because I would not leave 
any possible means unattempted that might be 
lawful, I did, by my wife, present a petition to the 
judges three times, that I might be heard, and that 
they would impartially take my case into consider- 
ation. 

The first time my wife went, she presented it to 
Judge Hale, who very mildly received it at her 
hand, telling her that he would do her and me the 
best good he could ; but he feared, he said, he 
could do none. The next day again, lest they 
should, through the multitude of business, forget 
me, we did throw another petition into the coach 
to Judge Twisdon ; who, when he had seen it, 



138 LIFE OF 

snapt her up, and angrily told her that I was a 
convicted person, and could not be released, unless 
I would promise to preach no more. 

After this, she yet again presented another to 
Judge Hale, as he sat on the bench, who, as it 
seemed, was willing to give her audience. Only 
Justice Chester, being present, stept up and said, 
that I was convicted in the court, and that I was a 
hot spirited fellow, or words to that purpose ; 
whereat he waived it, and did not meddle there- 
with. But yet, my wife, being encouraged by the 
high sheriff, did venture once more into their 
presence, (as the poor widow did to the unjust 
judge,) to try what she could do with them for my 
liberty, before they went forth of the town. The 
place where she went to them, was the Swan 
Chamber, where the two judges, and many justices 
and gentry of the country, were in company 
together. She then, coming into the chamber 
with a bashful face and a trembling heart, began 
her errand to them in this manner : 

My lord, (directing herself to Judge Hale,) I 
make bold to come once again to your lordships to 
know what may be done to my husband. 

To whom he said, Woman ^ I told thee before 
I could do thee no good ; because they have taken 
that for a conviction which thy husband spoke at 
the sessions ; and, unless there be something done 
to undo that, I can do thee no good. 

My lord, said she, he is kept unlawfully in 
prison : They clapped him up before there was 
any proclamation against the meetings. The 
indictment also is false. Besides, they never 



BUNYAN. 139 

asked him whether he was guilty or no ; neither 
did he confess the indictment. 

Then one of the justices that stood by, whom 
she knew not, said, My lord, he was lawfully con- 
victed. 

It is false, said she : for when they said to him, 
Do you confess the indictment 1 he said only this, 
that he had been at several meetings, where there 
was preaching the word, with prayer, and that they 
had God's presence among them. 

Whereat Judge Twisdon answered very angrily, 
saying, What ! you think we can do what we list : 
your husband is a breaker of the peace, and is con- 
victed by the law. . . . Whereupon Judge Hale 
called for the statute book. 

But, said she, My lord, he was not lawfully con- 
victed. 

Then Justice Chester said, My lord, he was 
lawfully convicted. 

It is false, said she : It was but a word of dis- 
course that they took for a conviction, (as you 
heard before.) 

But it is recorded, woman, it is recorded, says 
Justice Chester. . . As if it must, of necessity, be 
true, because it was recorded. With which words 
he often endeavored to stop her mouth, having no 
other argument to convince her, but, It is recorded, 
it is recorded. 

My lord, said she, I was awhile since in Lon- 
don, to see if I could get my husband's liberty ; 
and there I spoke with my lord Barkwood, one of 
the house of lords, to whom I delivered a petition, 
who took it of me, and presented it to some of the 



140 LIFE OP 

rest of the house of lords, for my husband's re- 
leasement ; who, when they had seen it, said, that 
they could not release him, but had committed his 
releasement to the judges, at the next assizes. 
This he told me ; and now I come to you to see 
if any thing may be done in this business ; and 
you give neither releasement nor relief. To 
which they gave her no answer, but made as if 
they heard her not. 

Only Justice Chester was often up with this, 
He is convicted, and it is recorded. 

If it be, it is false, said she. 

My lord, said Justice Chester, he is a pestilent 
fellow ; — there is not such a fellow in the country 
again. 

What ! said Judge Twisdon, will your husband 
leave preaching ? If he will do so, then send for 
him. 

My lord, said she, he dares not leave preaching, 
as long as he can speak. 

See here, (exclaimed Judge Twisdon,) what 
should we talk any more about such a fellow ? 
must he do what he lists ? He is a breaker of the 
peace. 

She told him again, that he desired to live 
peaceably, and to follow his calling, that his family 
might be maintained ; and moreover said, My 
lord, I have four small children, that cannot help 
themselves, of whom one is blind, and have nothing 
to live upon, but the charity of good people. 

Hast thou four children ? said Judge Hale. 
Thou art but a young woman to have four chil- 
dren. 



BUNYAN. 141 

My lord, said she, I am but mother-in-law to 
them, having not been married to him yet full two 
years. Indeed, I was with child when my hus- 
band was first apprehended ; but being young and 
unaccustomed to such things, I, being dismayed at 
the news, fell into labor, and so continued for 
eight days, and then was delivered, but my child 
died. 

Whereat, he looking very soberly on the matter, 
said, alas, poor woman ! 

But Judge Twisdon told her, that she made 
poverty her cloak ; and said, moreover, that he 
understood, I was maintained better by running up 
and down a preaching, than by following my 
calling. 

What is his calling ? said Judge Hale. 

Then some of the company that stood by, said, 
a tinker, my lord. 

Yes, said she, and because he is a tinker, and a 
poor man, therefore he is despised, and cannot 
have justice. 

Then Judge Hale answered, very mildly, saying, 
I tell thee, woman, seeing it is so, that they have 
taken what thy husband spake, for a conviction ; 
thou must either apply thyself to the king, or sue 
out his pardon, or get a writ of error. 

But when Justice Chester heard him give her 
this counsel ; and especially, (as she supposed,) 
because he spoke of a writ of error, he chafed, and 
seemed to be very much offended ; saying, my 
lord, he will preach and do what he lists. 

He preacheth nothing but the word of God, said 
she. 



142 LIFE OF 

He preach the word of God ! said Twisdon, 
(and withal, she thought he would have struck her,) 
— he runneth up and down, and doth harm. 

No, my lord, said she ; it is not so. God hath 
owned him, and done much good by him. 

God ! said he. — His doctrine is the doctrine of 
the devil. 

My Lord, said she, when the righteous Judge 
shall appear, it will be known, that his doctrine is 
not the doctrine of the devil. 

My lord, said he to Judge Hale, do not mind 
her, but send her away. 

Then said Judge Hale, I am sorry, woman, that 
I can do thee no good. Thou must do one of 
those three things aforesaid, namely, either to 
apply thyself to the king, or sue out his pardon, or 
get a writ of error ; but a writ of error will be the 
cheapest. 

At which Chester again seemed to be in a chafe, 
and put off his hat, and as she thought scratched 
his head for anger. But I saw, said slie, that 
there was no prevailing to have my husband sent 
for, though I often desired them that they would 
send for him, that he might speak for himself, 
telling them that he could give them better satis- 
faction than I could, in what they demanded of 
him ; with several other things, which now I for- 
get. Only this I remember, that though I was 
somewhat timorous at my first entrance into the 
chamber, yet before I went out, I could not but 
break forth into tears, not so much because they 
were so hard-hearted against me and my husband* 
but to think what a sad account such poor crea- 



BUNYAN. 143 

tures will have to give at the coming of the Lord, 
when they shall there answer for all things what- 
soever they have done in the body, whether it be 
good, or whether it be bad. 

So when I departed from them, the book of 
statute was brought ; but what they said of it, I 
knew nothing at all ; neither did I hear any more 
from them. 



His long Continuance in Prison* 

Thus Bunyan still continued a prisoner. For a 
while, however, he had more liberty granted him 
by his jailor, than at the first ; and he availed 
himself of all the opportunities which were put in 
his power to make known the truth of God, 
whether in the prison or out of it, and to visit his 
brethren, and exhort them to be firm in their prin- 
ciples, and exemplary in their practice. But when 
his persecutors heard that such lenity was shown 
him, they were very angry, and threatened to have 
his jailor removed from office. Upon this, he 
says, ' my liberty was more straightened than it 
was before ; so that I must not look out of the door.' 

Through the malignity, the prejudice, or the 
selfishness of men in power and place, or of those 
who were seeking the favor of such, the various 
efforts which he made to obtain a hearing, were 
ineffectual. Day after day, and night after night, 
as they succeeded each other, still found him in 



144 LIFE OF 

prison. Spring, and summer, and autumn, and 
winter came, and passed away, twelve times, and 
still he was there ; waiting to see what God would 
suffer these men to do with him. He learned to 
make tagged lace ; and in this manner, helped to 
supply the wants of his family. He had with him 
a Bible, a Concordance, and Fox's Book of Mar- 
tyrs. 

In this condition, he writes, near the close of his 
confinement, 1 1 have continued with much con- 
tent, through grace ; but have met with many 
turnings and goings upon my heart ; . . of which 
at large I shall not here discourse, only give you 
a hint or two, a word that may stir up the godly to 
bless God, and to pray for me ; and also to take 
encouragement, should the case be their own, not 
to fear what man can do unto them. .... Oh ! 
that word, We have not preached unto you cun- 
ningly devised fables ;* and that, God raised Christ 
from the dead, and gave him glory, that our faith 
and hope might be in God,^ were blessed words 
unto me in this imprisoned condition. 

' These three or four scriptures also have been 
great refreshments in this condition to me : John 
14 : 1—4 ; John 16 : 33 ; Col. 3 : 3, 4 ; and 
Heb. 12 : 22 — 24. So that sometimes when I 
have been in the savor of them, I have been able 
to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither the 
horse nor his rider. £ I have had sweet sights of 
the forgiveness of my sins in this place, and of my 
being with Jesus in another world. Oh ! the 
mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumer- 

* 2 Pet. 1 : 16. f 1 Pet. 1:2. % See Exod. 15 : 1. 



BUNYAN. 145 

able company of angels, and God the Judge of 
all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and 
Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, have been 
sweet unto me in this place ! I have seen that 
here, that I am persuaded I shall never, while in 
this world, be able to express. I have seen a truth 
in the scripture, Whom not having seen, ye love ; 
in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, 
ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.* 

c Before I came to prison, I saw what was com- 
ing, and had especially two considerations warm 
upon my heart. The first was, how to be able to 
encounter, death, should that be here my portion. 
For this, tnese scriptures were of great use to me ; 
that which speaks of praying to God to be strength- 
ened with all might according to his glorious power, 
unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness ; 
and that which says, But we had the sentence of 
death in ourselves, that we might not trust in our- 
selves, but in God which raiseth the dead. .... I 
was made to see that if ever I would suffer rightly, 
I must first pass sentence of death upon every 
thing that can properly be called a thing of this 
life ; even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, 
my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, 
and myself as dead to them. 

' The second was, to live upon God that is invis- 
ible ; as Paul said in another place, the way not 
to faint is, to look not at the things which are seen, 
but at the things which are not seen ; for the things 
which are seen are temporal, but the things which 
are not seen, are, eternal, 'f 

* IPet. 1: 8. f 2 Cor. 4: 18. 

13 



146 LIFE OF 

No considerations, surely, could have been more 
appropriate and sustaining. ' But,' with a touch- 
ing simplicity and pathos, he adds, ' notwithstand- 
ing these helps, 1 found myself a man encompassed 
with infirmities. The parting with my wife and 
poor children hath often been to me in this place 
as the pulling the flesh from the bones ; and that 
not only because I am somewhat too fond of these 
great mercies ; but also because I have often 
brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries, 
and wants, that my poor family was like to meet 
with, should I be taken from them ; especially my 
poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart than all 
beside. Oh ! the thoughts of the hardships I 
thought my poor blind one might go under, would 
break my heart to pieces. Poor child ! (thought 
1) what sorrow art thou like to have for thy por- 
tion in this world ! Thou must be beaten, must 
beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thou- 
sand calamities, though I cannot now endure the 
wind should blow upon thee. But yet, recalling 
myself, (thought I,) I must venture you all with 
God, though it goeth to the quick to leave you. 
Oh ! I saw in this condition, I was a man who was 
pulling down his house upon the head of his wife 
and children. Yet, (thought I,) I must do it, I 
must do it.' 

Thus, in the preface to another work, a treatise 
which he entitled a Confession of my Faith and a 
Reason of my Practice in the Worship of God, 
and which, as well as the Grace Abounding, he 
published near the close of his long confinement in 
prison, he remarks, ' Neither have I in this rela- 



BUN Y AN. 147 

tion abusively presented my reader with other doc- 
trines or practices, than what I held, professed, 
and preached, when apprehended and cast into 
prison. Nor did I then or now retain a doctrine 
besides, or which is not thereon grounded. The 
subject I should have preached upon, even then 
when the constable came, was, Dost thou believe 
on the Son of God? From whence I intended to 
show the absolute need of faith in Christ ; and 
that it was also a thing of the highest concern for 
men to inquire into, and to ask their own hearts 
whether they had it or no. 

' Faith and holiness are my professed principles, 
with an endeavor, so far as in me lieth, to be at 
peace with all men. What shall I say ? Let mine 
enemies themselves be judges, if any thing in 
these following doctrines, or if aught that any man 
hath heard me preach, doth or hath, according to 
the true intent of my words, savored either of her- 
esy or rebellion. I say again, let themselves be 
judges, if aught they find in my writing or preach- 
ing, doth render me worthy of almost twelve years' 
imprisonment, or one that deserveth to be hanged, 
or banished forever, according to their tremendous 
sentence. Indeed, my principles are such as lead 
me to a denial to communicate, in the things of 
the kingdom of Christ, with the ungodly and open 
profane ; neither can I consent that, by the super- 
stitious inventions of this world, my soul should be 
governed in any of my approaches to God ; be- 
cause [I am] commanded [of God] to the contrary, 
and commended for so refusing. Wherefore, ex- 
cepting this one thing, for which I ought not to be 



148 LIFE OP 

rebuked, I shall, I trust, in despite of slander and 
falsehood, discover myself at all times a peaceable 
and an obedient servant. But if nothing will do, 
unless I make my conscience a continual butchery 
and slaughter-shop, — unless, putting out my own 
eyes, I commit me to the blind to lead me, as I 
doubt is desired by some, I have determined, the 
Almighty God being my help and shield, jet to 
suffer, if frail life might continue so long, even till 
the moss shall grow on mine eyebrows, rather 
than thus to violate my faith and principles.' 

But, to return to the* current of the account given 
in the Grace Abounding, he says, 'that which 
helped me in this temptation was divers consider- 
ations, of which three in special here I will name. 
The first was the consideration of those two scrip- 
tures : Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve 
them alive ; and let thy widows trust in me ;* and 
again, The Lord said, verily it shall go well with thy 
remnant ; verily, I will cause the enemy to entreat 
thee well in the time of evil."\ I had also this con- 
sideration, that if I should venture all for God, I 
engaged God to take care of my concernments ; 
but if I forsook him in his ways for fear of any 
trouble that should come to me or mine, then I 
should not only falsify my profession, but should 
count also my concernments were not so sure, if 
left at God's feet, whilst I stood to and for his 
name, as they would be if they were under my 
own care, though with the denial of the way of 
God. This was a smarting consideration, and as 
spurs into my flesh. I had also another consid- 
* Jer. 49 : 11. f Jer. 15 : 11. 



BUNYAN. 149 

eration, and that was the dread of the torments of 
hell, which I was sure they must partake of, that, 
for fear of the cross, do shrink from their profes- 
sion of Christ, his words, and laws, before the sons 
of men. I thought also of the glory that he had 
prepared for those that in faith, and love, and 
patience, stood to his ways before them. These 
things, I say, have helped me, when the thoughts 
of the misery that both myself and mine might, for 
the sake of my profession, be exposed to, have lain 
pinching on my mind. 

' I was once, above all the rest, in a very sad 
and low condition for many weeks ; at which time 
also I, being but a young prisoner, and not ac- 
quainted with the laws, had this lying much upon 
my spirits, that my imprisonment might end at the 
gallows for aught that I could tell. Now, there- 
fore, Satan laid hard at me, to beat me out of 
heart, by suggesting thus unto me : But if, when 
you come indeed to die, you should be in this con- 
dition ; that is, as not to savor the things of God, 
nor to have any evidence upon your soul for a better 
state hereafter ? . . Wherefore, when I first began 
to think of this, it was a great trouble to me ; for 
I thought with myself, that in the condition I now 
was, I was not fit to die, neither did I think I 
could, if I should be called to it. Besides, I 
thought with myself, if I should make a scramb- 
ling shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should, 
either with quaking, or other symptoms of fainting, 
give occasion to the enemy to reprjoach the way 
of God and his people for their timorousness. 
This, therefore, lay with great trouble upon me ; 



150 LIFE OF 

for methought I was ashamed to die with a pale 
face and tottering knees in such a case as this. 
Wherefore, I prayed to God that he would comfort 
me, and give me strength to do and suffer what 
he should call me to ; yet no comfort appeared, 
but all continued hid. I was also at this time so 
really possessed with the thought of death, that oft 
I was as if I was on the ladder with a rope about 
my neck. Only this was some encouragement to 
me : I thought I might now have an opportunity 
to speak my last words unto a multitude, which, I 
thought, would come to see me die ; and, thought 
I, if it must be so, if God will but convert one soul 
by my last words, I shall not count my life thrown 
away nor lost. 

1 But jet all the things of God were kept out of 
my sight ; and still the tempter followed me with, — 
But whither must you go when you die ? What 
will become of you ? Where will you be found in 
another world ? What evidence have you for 
heaven and glory, and an inheritance among them 
that are sanctified ? 

' Thus was I tossed for many weeks, and knew 
not what to do. At last, this consideration fell 
with weight upon me, that it was for the word and 
way of God that I was in this condition : Where- 
fore, I was engaged not to flinch an hair's breadth 
from it. I thought also that God might choose 
whether he would give me comfort now, or at the 
hour of death ; but I might not therefore choose 
whether I wquld hold my profession or no : I was 
bound, but he was free ; yea, 'twas my duty to 
stand to his word, whether he would ever look 



BUNYAN. 151 

upon me or save me at the last. Wherefore 
thought I, save the point being thus, I am for going 
on and venturing my eternal state with Christ, 
whether I have comfort here or no. If God do 
not come in, (thought I,) I will leap off the ladder 
even blindfolded into eternity ; sink or swim ; 
come heaven, come hell ; Lord Jesus, receive me 
on thine arms, if thou wilt ; if not, I will venture 
all for thy name. 

' I was no sooner fixed in this resolution, but this 
word dropped upon me, Doth Job serve God for 
nought T* as if the accuser had said, Lord, Job 
is no upright man ; he serves thee for by-respects ; 
hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about 
his house, and about all that he hath, on every side ? 
thou hast blessed the ivork of his hands, and his sub- 
stance is increased in the land. But put forth thine 
hand novo, and touch all thai he hath, and he will 
curse thee to thy face. — How now ? (thought I ;) is 
this the sign of an upright soul, to desire to serve 
God when all is taken from him ? Is he a godly 
man that will serve God for nothing, rather than 
give out? Blessed be God, then, I hope I have 
an upright heart ; for I am resolved, (God giving 
me strength,) never to deny my profession, though 
I had nothing at all for my pains. And as I was 
thus considering, that scripture was set before me, 
Psalm 44 : 12—28. 

1 Now was my heart full of comfort ; for I hoped 
it was sincere. I would not have been without 
this trial for much ; I am comforted every time 1 
think of it ; and I hope I shall bless God for ever, 

* Job 1 : 9. 



152 LIFE OF 

for the teaching I liave had by it. Many more of 
the dealings of God towards me I might relate ; 
but these out of the spoils won in battle have I 
dedicated to maintain the house of the Lord J 1 



From his Liberation in 1672, to his Death in 1688. 



The liberation of Bunyan was obtained in 
1672. By most it has been ascribed to the kind 
interference of Dr. Barlow, who was afterwards 
Bishop of Lincoln, but by some to that of a distin- 
guished Quaker, named Whitehead. Perhaps 
there was, in this matter, a concurrence of efforts ; 
and both Barlow and Whitehead, — and others, 
known to him who seeth in secret, — may have 
had a part in this act of humanity. If he had been 
confined much longer, it is suggested by his earli- 
est biographer, ' there, perhaps, he had died by 
the noisomeness and ill usage of the place.' At a 
subsequent period, when Howard, the philanthro- 
pist, as high sheriff of Bedfordshire, had his atten- 
tion directed to the state of the prisons, he began, 
at the old damp one, which had so long been the 
' home' of Bunyan, that reform of prison discipline 
which has mitigated so much human suffering 
throughout most of Christendom. 

Towards the close of his imprisonment, Bunyan 
had received many tokens of confidence on the 
part of his jailor. 

In this connection, the following anecdote is 



BUNYAN. 153 

commonly related : It having been reported to 
some of the persecuting ecclesiastical powers, that 
Bunyan was often out of prison, they sent an offi- 
cer to ascertain the fact ; and, for this purpose, 
they directed him to arrive at the prison in the 
night. Bunyan, till a late hour, was actually gone, 
having received permission to spend the night 
with his family. But he was so restless that he 
could not sleep, and remarked, I must return imme- 
diately. This he did ; and the jailor blamed him 
for coming in at so unseasonable an hour. Shortly 
after, the officer arrived, and asked, are all the 
prisoners safe ] Yes, it was replied. Is John 
Bunyan safe ? Yes. — Let me see him. . . . He 
was called ; he presented himself; and all was 
well. When the officer had retired, the jailor said 
to Bunyan, Well, you may go out again when you 
think proper ; for you know v:hen to return better 
than I can tell you. 

Thus the prisoner had been permitted to attend 
the meetings of the little non-conformist church to 
which he belonged at Bedford. And, upon the 
occurrence of a vacancy in the Pastorship, the year 
before his liberation, he was chosen Pastor, Dec. 
12, 1671. His complete liberation, in 1672, 
opened a wide field before him, and cheered the 
hearts of many who had been ready to faint. 

He now gave himself entirely to his work as a 
minister of the gospel, his pecuniary wants being 
supplied, so that he could live comfortably and 
creditably. 

Once, at least, he seems to have been compelled 
to retire from the people of his charge. It must 



154 LIFE OF 

have been as early as the year 1675 ; for that is 
the date of the publication of the work which we 
are about to mention. But when he could not 
preach to his people, he wrote a considerably 
extended work, in the form of a plain and easy 
Dialogue, entitled Instruction for the Ignorant, and 
addressed it to them, with the following letter. 

To the Church of Christ in and about Bedford. 
My people perish for lack of knowledge. — Hosea 4 : 6. 

Holy and Beloved, — Although I have designed 
this little treatise for public and common benefit, 
yet considering that I am to you a debtor, not only 
in common charity, but by reason of special bonds 
which the Lord hath laid upon me to you ward, I 
could do no less, (being driven from you in pres- 
ence, not affection,) but first present you with this 
little book ; not for that you are wanting in the 
things contained herein, but to put you again in 
remembrance of first things, and to give you occa- 
sion to present something to your carnal relations, 
that may be, (if God will,) for their awakening 
and conversion. Accept it, therefore, as a token 
of my Christian remembrance of you. 

Next, I present it to all those unconverted, old 
and young, who have been at any time under my 
preaching, and yet remain in their sins. And I 
entreat them also, that they receive it as a token 
of my love to their immortal souls. Yea, I charge 
them, as they will answer it in the day of terrible 
judgment, that they read, ponder, and receive this 
wholesome medicine prepared for them. Now the 
God of blessing bless it to the awakening of many 



BUNYAN. 155 

sinners, and the salvation of their souls by faith in 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Yours to serve you by my ministry (when I can) 
to your edification and consolation. J. B. 

His church increased ; and soon the number of 
his hearers was so multiplied that it was found 
necessary, for their accommodation, to erect a new 
and large house of public worship. Both statedly 
and occasionally, he visited other places, encour- 
aging and aiding the afflicted and persecuted, and 
preaching wherever he had opportunity, though 
the laws against nonconformist meetings were still 
in force. By these visitations and his abundant 
labors he acquired among some, in the way either 
of jeering or of pleasantry, the appellation of 
'Bishop' Bunyan. 

He was careful to bring up his children in the 
nurture and admonition of the Lord ; and a bless- 
ing rested on his endeavors. 

But, about the year 1678, as if to illustrate, on 
the one hand, the malignity which may exist in the 
hearts of opposers of the gospel, and, on the other, 
the grace and providence of God, a new storm 
was permitted to burst on Bunyan. An attempt 
was made to implicate him in a charge of seduc- 
tion and murder. 

A young female, Agnes Beaumont, a member 
of his church, had accompanied him to meeting at 
one of his preaching stations. A clergyman who 
met them on the way, started a calumnious report. 
The father of Agnes was a violent opposer of Bun- 
yan and the nonconformists. When she returned, 



156 LIFE OF 

he refused to admit her into his house ; and the 
broken hearted daughter was obliged to spend a 
cold winter's night in the barn. From Friday 
night to Sunday night, he was inexorable. At 
length, he was persuaded to let her in. She 
soothed him by her affectionate demeanor, and his 
heart was melted. Tuesday evening they spent 
happily together ; and he retired to bed in perfect 
health. In the night she was awaked by his 
cries. She hastened to his bed-side. He had 
been suddenly seized with a severe pain in his 
stomach. She made every effort in her power for 
his relief; for she was the only person with him 
in the house ; but all was in vain. He fainted, 
and died in her arms. 

A lawyer whose hand Agnes had refused, and 
who had excited her father against Bunyan, now 
took his opportunity of revenge. He added to the 
clergyman's report, which had been industriously 
spread abroad, the insinuation that Agnes had 
murdered her father with poison furnished by her 
Pastor. The funeral was deferred. A jury was 
summoned. The matter was fully investigated ; 
and the innocence of Agnes and her Pastor came 
forth as the light. 

When his engagements would permit, he often 
visited the congregations of nonconformists in 
London, and was there listened to, by crowded 
audiences, with the liveliest interest. Even Dr. 
Owen was so favorably impressed with his preach- 
ing, that he spake of it in high terms, one day, in 
the presence of Charles II. The king expressed 
his astonishment that so learned a man as he 



BUNYAN. 157 

should ever listen to the preaching of a tinker. 
6 May it please your Majesty,' replied Dr. Owen, 
• could I possess that tinker's abilities for preach- 
ing, I would most gladly relinquish all my learn- 

ing.' 

The preaching of Bunyan was distinguished for 
its setting forth, in a clear and convincing manner, 
the fundamental truths of the gospel, and for its 
earnestness and unction. He longed with all his 
soul, and labored with all his might, for the salva- 
tion of his hearers, — 

Much impressed 
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge. 
And anxious mainly that the flock be fed. 
Might feel it too. 

When, in the reign of James II., liberty of 
conscience was unexpectedly given to Dissenters 
of all persuasions,, says his earliest biographer, he 
perceived 'that it was not for the Dissenters' sakes 
they were so suddenly freed from the prosecutions 
that had long lain heavily upon them, and set, in a 
manner, on an equal footing with the church of 
England, which the Papists were undermining, 
and about to subvert. He foresaw that all the 
advantages which could redound to the Dissenters 
would have been no more than what Polyphemus, 
the monstrous giant of Sicily, would have allowed 
Ulysses, namely, that he would eat his men first, 
and do him the favor of being eaten last. For 
although Mr. Bunyan, following the examples of 
others, did lay hold of this liberty, as an accepta- 
ble thing in itself * knowing that God is the only 

14 



158 LIFE OF 

Lord of the conscience, and that it is good at all 
times to do according to the dictates of a good con- 
science, and that the preaching of the glad tidings 
of the gospel is beautiful in the preacher ; yet in 
all this he moved with caution and a holy fear, 
earnestly praying for the averting of the impend- 
ing judgments, which he saw, like a black tempest, 
hanging over our heads for our sins, and ready to 
break in upon us.' 

He had often prayed for his oppressors, even 
with tears ; and, considering the times in which 
he lived and the vexatious and trying conflicts in 
which he was sometimes engaged, his spirit, cer- 
tainly, for the most part, was remarkably Chris- 
tian ; his example, salutary, elevating, heavenly. 
It would be asserting too much to say that all his 
views were perfectly correct. He understood and 
preached ; faith and holiness,' the weightier mat- 
ters ; and exemplified them, most impressively, 
in his life. For this we love and commend him ; 
we rejoice ; (let heaven and earth rejoice ;) and 
render most hearty thanks to God. 

If there are some other matters, which our Lord 
would say 'ye ought not to leave undone ;' then, 
surely, we shall do well not to leave them undone, 
though they do not belong to ' the weightier mat- 
ters.' All the truths which have been revealed 
must be valuable, though some of them may be 
more fundamental than others. All the commands 
which our Lord has given, must be important, 
though some of them may have the precedence of 
others, or be greater. But who would wish to be 
blind to any revealed truth, or to disregard one of 



BUNYAN. 159 

the least of his Savior's injunctions and teach 
men so ? 

The circumstances in which Bunyan was placed 
at Bedford, in the early stages of his religious pro- 
gress, will, perhaps, sufficiently explain any pecu- 
liarity in his ecclesiastical relations and in his 
views of what was or was not requisite for church 
membership and communion. In the ardor of his 
first love, he had become connected with a church 
in which baptism was not required ; though he 
himself had chosen to be baptized. He had con- 
tinued to be nourished and cherished there ; for he 
had found there what was infinitely more precious 
than any external observance, — a living faith in 
Christ and fraternal love. What could have been 
more beautiful and attractive ? What more wor- 
thy of filling our whole vision, and occupying the 
attention of all ? And yet it was thought by some 
that, even in attending to things the most spiritual 
and important, we must take care not to overlook 
things less important, if they are required by our 
Lord. 

This led to sharp controversy, in which some- 
what of human infirmity was manifested, but far 
less than was usual in the polemics of those times. 
Both parties intended to be faithful, and to contend 
only for Christ and the truth. Would that no 
reproach had been cast on Bunyan for his former 
low condition, and no contemptuous feeling either 
indulged or expressed ! When, O when will all 
Christians duly bear in mind that the cause of 
Christ is injured and betrayed, if they, even to pro- 
mote it, employ means that are unchristian ? 



160 LIFE OF 

Bunyan, instead of being convinced of error, 
felt that he was wronged ; and replied triumph- 
antly, 'What it is that gives a man reverence 
with you, I know not ; but for certain, he that 
despiseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker ; yet a 

poor man is better than a liar What need 

you, before you have showed one syllable of rea- 
sonable argument in opposition to what I assert, 
thus trample my person, my gifts, and grace (have 
I any) so disdainfully under your feet ? And why 
is my rank so mean that the most gracious and 
godly among you may not duly and soberly con- 
sider of what I have said ? Was it not the art of 
the false apostles of old to bespatter a man, that 
his doctrine might be disregarded ? " Is not this 
the carpenter ?" and " His bodily presence is weak 
and contemptible," did not used to be in the 
mouths of the saints.* .... Your artificial squib- 
bling suggestions to the world about myself, im- 
prisonment, and the like, I freely bind upon me as 
an ornament among the rest of my reproaches, till 
the Lord shall wipe them off at his coming. 'f 

Besides preaching in season and out of season, 
and visiting in his own vicinity and elsewhere, the 
labors of Bunyan as an author, were not small. 
He had published two or three short treatises before 
his imprisonment ; the first in 1658. It is entitled 
Gospel Truths Opened. In prison he wrote sev- 
eral ; among which are, a Discourse on Prayer ; 
the Holy City ; a Confession of my Faith and a 
Reason of my Practice ; several pieces in verse ; 

* Differences in Judgment, &c. Works, vol. Ill, p. 303. 
f Peaceable Principles and True. Works, vol. III. p. 369, 



BUN Y AX. 161 

» 

(as probably, Mount Ebal and Gerizim, or the 
Blessing and the Curse; the Four Last Things, 
Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell ; Divine 
Emblems, for Youth, or Temporal things Spiritu- 
alized ; and Prison Meditations, dedicated to the 
heart of suffering saints and reigning sinners ;) 
Justification by Jesus Christ, against a work by 
Bishop Fowler ; Grace abounding to the chief of 
Sinners ; The Strait Gate, or the Difficulty of 
going to Heaven ; and The Pilgrim's Progress, 
(the First Part.) The Second Part was written 
ten or twelve years after his liberation, and was 
first published in 1684. The Holy War made by 
Shaddai upon Diabolus for regaining the Metropolis 
of the World, or the losing and taking again of 
the Town of Mansoul, it is remarked by Conder, 
4 would of itself have immortalized the author, had 
he produced nothing else.' It was first published 
in 1682. The life and death of Mr. Badman, pre- 
sented to the world in a familiar dialogue between 
Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive, seems to have 
been published a few years later, and bears the 
impress of Banyan's genius. These three are his 
larger works ; and they belong, substantially, to 
the same class. The others exhibit much variety 
in their character and extent. Among them are 
Christian Behaviour, being the Fruits of True 
Christianity, teaching Husbands, Wives, Parents, 
Children, Masters, and Servants how to walk so 
as to please^ God, with a word of Direction to all 
Backsliders ; Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, 
or a Discourse showing the cause, truth, and man- 
ner of the coming of a Sinner to Jesus Christ ; 



162 LIFE OF 

The Barren Fig Tree, or the Doom and Down- 
fall of the^ Fruitless Professor ; Holy Life the 
Beauty of Christianity ; The Pharisee and Publi- 
can ; The First Day Sabbath ; The Jerusalem 
Sinner Saved, or Good News for the Vilest of 
Men, for the comfort of those who fear they have 
sinned against the Holy Ghost ; Jesus Christ an 
Advocate : The Water of Life ; Solomon's Tem- 
ple Spiritualized, or Gospel Light brought out of 
the Temple at Jerusalem ; The Excellence of a 
Broken Heart ; Paul's Departure and Crown ; 
The Heavenly Footman, or the Man. that gets to 
Heaven ; a Pocket Concordance ; and an Account 
of his Imprisonment. 

The whole number of his works, large and 
small, is sixty. He published six during the last 
year of his life. But his labors, doubtless, ex- 
ceeded his strength. He was hastening to the 
termination of his course. 

He had been distinguished as a peace maker ; 
and had spent much time in reconciling differences 
among those on whom he could have influence. 
A late English writer has given, from an authentic 
source, a brief and simple account which presents 
to us the closing scene. ' The last act of his life,' 
it is stated, ' was a labor of love. A young gen- 
tleman, falling under his father's displeasure, and 
being much troubled in mind on that account, and 
also from hearing it was his father's design to dis- 
inherit him, selected Mr. Bunyan as a fit man to 
make way for his submission, and prepare the 
mind of the father to receive him ; which he, 
being willing to undertake any good office, readily 



SUN Y AN. 163 

engaged in, and went to Reading in Berkshire, for 
that purpose. There he so successfully accom- 
plished his design, by urging considerations against 
anger and for love and reconciliation, that the 
father's heart was softened. . . . After Mr. Bun- 
yan had disposed every thing in the best manner 
to promote an accommodation, as he returned to 
London on horseback, he was overtaken by exces- 
sive rains ; and coming to his lodgings extremely 
wet, he fell sick with a violent fever, which he 
bore with much constancy and patience ; and ex- 
pressed himself as if he wished nothing more than 

to depart and be with Christ Finding his 

strength decay, he settled his worldly affairs as 
well as the shortness of the time and the violence 
of the disorder would permit, and, after an illness 
often days, with unshaken confidence, he resigned 
his soul, on the 31st of August, 1688, being sixty 
years of age, into the hands of his most merciful 
Redeemer.' 

The author of the manuscript sketch in the 
British Museum, says : i He comforted those that 
wept about him, exhorted them to trust in God, and 
pray to him for mercy and forgiveness of their 
sins, — expounding to them the comfortable scrip- 
tures by which they were to hope and assuredly 
come unto a blessed resurrection in the last day. 
He desired some to pray with him, and he joined 
with them in prayer. His last words were, Weep 
not for me, but for yourselves : I go to the Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will, no doubt, 
through the mediation df his blessed Son, receive 
me, though a sinner, where I 'hope we ere long 



164 LIFE OF 

shall meet, to sing the new song, and remain ever- 
lastingly happy, world without end P 

He was buried at Bunhill fields, in the vault of 
an affectionate friend, a Mr. Stradwick, at whose 
house he had been most cordially entertained dur- 
ing his sickness. 

The following sketch of his character and per- 
son, is from the pen of one who seems to have 
been intimately acquainted with him : ' He ap- 
peared in countenance to be of a stern and rough 
temper ; but in his conversation, he was mild and 
affable ; not given to loquacity or much discourse 
in compan}?", unless some urgent occasion required 
it ; observing never to boast of himself or his parts, 
but rather seem low in his own eyes, and submit 
himself to the judgment of others ; abhorring lying 
and swearing, being just in all that lay in his 
power to his word ; not seeming to revenge inju- 
ries, loving to reconcile differences, and make 
friendship with all. He had a sharp, quick eye, 
accompanied with an excellent discerning of per- 
sons, being of good judgment and quick wit. As 
for his person, he was tall of stature, strong bound, 
though not corpulent, somewhat of a ruddy face, 
with sparkling eyes, wearing his hair on his upper 
lip, after the old British fashion. His hair was 
reddish, but, in his latter days, time had sprinkled 
it with gray ; his nose well set, but not declining 
or bending ; and his mouth moderately large ; his 
forehead somewhat iiigh ; and his habit always 
plain and modest. — And thus we have impartially 
described the internal andtexternal parts of a per- 
son, whose death has been much regretted ; a per- 



BUNYAN. 165 

son who had tried the smiles and frowns of time ; 
not puffed up in prosperity, nor shaken in adver- 
sity ; always holding the golden mean. 

' P. S. In this his pilgrimage, God blessed him 
with four children ; one of whom, named Mary, 
was blind, and died some years before. His other 
children were Thomas, Joseph, and Sarah. His 
wife Elizabeth, having lived to see him overcome 
his labor and sorrow, and pass from this life to 
receive the reward of his works, did not long sur- 
vive him ; for in 1692 she died, to follow her faith- 
ful pilgrim from this world to the other, whither 
he was gone before her.' 

In 1692, many of his works were collected and 
printed in one volume folio. In 1735 and 1736, 
another edition was published in two folio vol- 
umes. This, if we mistake not, was reprinted, 
with a preface from the pen of the Rev. George 
Whitefield ; and, in 1767 and 1768, there was an 
edition at Edinburgh in six volumes 8vo. In 1830, 
an incomplete collection, in three large octavo vol- 
umes, was printed at New Haven. Various se- 
lections have appeared in Europe and in America. 

The writings of Bunyan have exerted a silent 
but powerful influence on millions of the human 
family. It is not our design in this sketch to re- 
view them. The wonder is, not that they furnish 
some materials for criticism, but that they present 
so much to approve and admire. 

There have been innumerable separate editions 
of several of these works, especially of the Holy 
War, and, above all, of the Pilgrim's Progress. 
This, unquestionably, is, what a competent judge 



166 LIFE OF BUNYAN. 

has pronounced it to be, c the most popular reli- 
gious book in English literature.' It needs no 
commendation. Its popularity is the growth of 
nearly two hundred years ; and it is not likely soon 
to pass away. In England, some of the ablest 
men of genius and renown have, of late, been 
occupied in writing on its author. And in our 
own country, a glowing and splendid work, admi- 
rably adapted to awaken new interest in this his 
most attractive allegory, has appeared within the 
last two years, and is passing rapidly through 
successive editions. In harmony with these indi- 
cations, a committee of the British Parliament 
have recently reported his name among those of 
the eminent writers who are to be honored by 
having their statues placed in the gallery of the 
new Senate House. Indeed, Cowper, whose soul 
was prepared to sympathize with that of Bunyan, 
would not, were he now alive, have any reason to 
indulge the fear of naming him which he so inge- 
niously acknowledged, when he wrote, sixty or 
seventy years ago, — 

thou, whom, borne on fancy's eager wing 
Back to the season of life's happy spring, 

1 pleased remember, and while memory yet 
Holds fast her office here, can ne'er forget ; 
Ingenious dreamer, in whose well-told tale . 
Sweet fiction and sweet truth alike prevail, 

Whose humorous vein, strong sense, and simple style, 

May teach the gayest, make the gravest smile ; 

Witty, and well-employed, and, like thy Lord, 

Speaking in parables his slighted word ; 

I name thee not, lest so despised a name 

Should move a sneer at thy deserved fame ; 

Yet, e'en in transitory life's late day, 

That mingles all my brown with sober gray, 

Revere the man, whose Pilgrim marks the road, 

And guides the PpwOGEess of the soul to God. 



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PRACTICAL STORIES. 

REVISED EDITIONS. 

THE GREAT SECRET, 

Or How to be Happy. 

FANNY ELMORE, 

A SECOND PART TO THE GREAT SECRET. 

CHARLES LINN, 

Or How to Observe the Golden Rule. 

ALLEN LUCAS, 

The Self made Maw. 



gSS C OcW " »-w a3 >% 




A SCRIPTURAL DEFENCE 

OF THE 

DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY; 

OR, 

A CHECK TO MODERN ARIANISM, 

As taught by Unitarians, Campbelhtes, Hicksites, New 
Lights, Vniversalists, and Mormons ; and e**>ecially by 
a sect celling themselves Christians. 

BY REV. H. MATTISON. 



The author has done a good service in attacking 
that grand feature of almost all modern heresies — the 
denial of the Godhead of the Son and Holy Spirit. 
His treatise seems to be peculiarly adapted to gen- 
eral circulation, and Arianism is shown to be any- 
thing but the truth as revealed from on high. — The 
Presbyterian. 

This small volume is wisely intended to meet a 
practical want, by defending the doctrine of the 
Trinity — not so much against scholastic speculations 
as against the more popular forms of error. — New- 
York Recorder. 

An able little volume in defence of the doctrine 
of the Trinity The line of argument is vig- 
orously and closely traced, and in a style adapted to 
popular readers. — Zion's Herald &f Wesleyan Jour. 

This is a timely production — serving to quicken at- 
tention to what must ever be a central truth of Chris- 
tianity. — Olive Branch, 

An able defence of the doctrine of the Trinity. — 
The author has done good service to the cause of 
truth in the volume before us. — North. Chr. Adv. 

The author has presented a fair view of the Scrip- 
tural doctrine on this subject. He has also exposed 
the fallacy of the objections brought against the doc- 
trine of the Divinity of Christ. — Christ. Chronicle. 

We take rank with Trinitarians, and regard Mr 
Mattison as having done good justice to^the subject 
He is a close reasoner, and possesses a mind well 
adapted to polemic investigation. — True Wesleyan. 



FOR BIBLE CLASSES, 

ELEMENTS OF THEOLOGY; 

OR, JHE LEADING TOPICS OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY, 
PLAINLY AND SCRIPTURALLY SET FORTH; WITH 
THE PRINCIPAL EVIDENCES OF DIVINE REVELA- 
TION CONCISELY STATED. 

WITH QUESTIONS, 

FOR THE USE OF BIBLE CLASSES, SEMINARIES OF LEARNING 
AND FAMILIES. 

By DANIEL HASOALL, A. M. 

The plan of the work is thus stated by the author :— 

1. After a concise proof of the existence of God from creation, to se* 
forth the evidences of a Divine Revelation contained in the Scriptures 
of the Old and New Testaments. 

2. The attributes of God, as delineated in the revelations which he 
has made of himself. 

3. The primitive and present character of man. 

4. The recovery of lost men. 

5. The agency of creatures connected with this recovery. 

6. What befalls man at and after death. 

t These subjects are treated of in a series of brief essays, with ques- 
tions at the close of each essay or chapter. The whole is comprised 
in an ISmo of 260 pages. The style of the author is terse and sugges 
tive. He just touches upon the leading thoughts in every subject 
treated of— puts the reader upon the right train of thought— and then 
leaves it for another. 

The book is very readable, and interesting to the solitary inquirer 
into the " elements" of religious truth ; but judging from the ques- 
tions, the author designed it mainly as a text-book for instruction. 
Pastors will find it a suitable book to put into the hands of any in 
their charge, who may wish to form a class for the systematic study 
of the groundwork of our religion ; and Preceptors of ^Academies, who 
think that theological science should have a place among othel 
sciences in the education of youth, will find this book better adapted 
to their wants than anything which has been before published. 

*' The author is a man of experience, soundness, piety, and learning 
in the topics of which the present work treats. His successful aim 
has been to give instruction in the most important branch of know- 
ledge—' the knowledge of Ged and of ourselves.' " 

[Christian Reflector, 

" Its use among the young will, with the divine blessing, contribute 
to a sounder condition of our churches. Topics relating to church 
order are omitted, and it may therefore be appropriately circulated 
among all evangelical denominations."— .tf. Y. Recorder. 



LEWIS COLBY & COMPANY, 

122 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK, 

PUBLISH A GREAT VARIETY OP 

CHOICE AND VALUABLE 

SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS, 

Uniformly bound, in neat half-roan, and generally illustrated 
with fine wood Engravings. 

NEW BOOKS OF APPROVED CHARACTER, 

ARE CONTINUALLY BEING ISSUED. 

IB ® © IS © IS Sa ILa IE Hi © s . 

And dealers in S. S. Books, may be supplied upon advan- 
tageous terms. Such as reside at a distance and have not 
means of making selections, may depend upon great care be- 
ing taken, and upon receiving new and perfect copies. 

©JklBIBJk'aFISI ©03H©(D3LiS 

Wishing to replenish their libraries, may rely upon having 
their orders carefully attended to. Orders from the country 
should be accompanied by a list of such books as are already 
on hand, together with the amount to be expended. 

{^Catalogues furnished gratis upon application. 



THE SABBATH SCHOOL MINSTREL, 

DESIGNED EOR SABBATH SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND 
SOCIAL MEETINGS. 

This collection of music and hymns has been made with 
especial reference to the # wants of the Sabbath School. 
The style of the music is simple and devotional ; and while it 
will gratify those somewhat advanced in the science, it may 
be learned with facility by even the youngest scholar. The 
object has been to introduce as large a number of appropriate 
hymns as possible, varying in length and in measure ; and 
all adapted to the exercises of the Sabbath School, its Anni- 
versaries, Celebrations, &c. 



LEWIS COLBY & CO.'s PUBLICATIONS. 



THE J U D SON OFFERING. 

Intended aa a token of Christian Sympathy with tho ! 
Living, and a Memento of Christian 
Affection for the Dead. 



BY REV. JOHN DOWLING, A. M,„ 
Author of " History of Romanism," &c 



[Fifth Thousand.] 



HF This edition contains several additional articles, in ; 
prose and verse, relative to the departure of Mr. and 
Mrs. Judson for Burmah. 



Notices of tje former Is tortious. 

It is done up in fancy style, something after the fash- 
ion of the annuals ; and a handsome engraving, repre 
senting " The Departure," faces the title. It is neat and 
spirited, and we aoubt not, will meet, as it deserves, an 
extensive circulation. The fervent missionary spirit that 
runs through its pages, renders it a valuable work for 
the young ; and we hope it will be selected by thou- 
sands as a holiday present, instead ©f the expensive, but 
less useful annuals, with which the shelves of the book- 
stores are plentifully supplied. — Christian Secretary, 



Altogether, it will form an acceptable popular offering, 
and obtain a wide circulation. Considering the taste and 
perfection of the mechanical execution, the price is low. 
— New-York Recorder. 

122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK. 



X.&& JNASSAH-BI., IN.UVV-XUK.JV. *m 



^ LEWIS COLBY & CO.'s PUBLICATIONS. " 

The volume before us is a collection of the effusions, 
in poetry and prose, which have been called forth by the 
arrival and presence of Dr. Judson in this country ; to- 
gether with several pieces written expressly for this 
work, and " Sketches of Missionary Life," by its editor, 
comprising a brief, connected history of the leading 
events in the missionary life of Judson. The editor, 
with whose powers and talents as a writer, the readers 
of the Watchman have, for sometime, been well ac- 
quainted, has performed a task which cannot fail to be 
highly acceptable to the Christian public, and must have 
been very grateful to his own feelings. His " sketches" 
are very graphic and touching, and the whole arrange- 
ment of the volume displays sound sense, good taste, 
literary skill, and a deep interest in his theme. — Chris- 
tian Watchman. 

We are happy to commend this volume, both for the 
beauty of its execution, and for the valuable and inter- 
esting matter it contains. Christian parents, or others, » 
who may wish to present a token of affection, will find a 
suitable one in this " Offering." — New-England Puritan. 

The design of this work is to render the tribute, which 
every Christian heart must feel, to the pious labors and 
self-denial of Dr. Judson, who has been so long and 
successfully engaged in missionary labors in Burmah. 
It consists of various pieces of poetry and prose, chiefly 
by the editor, of no little merit, and bearing upon the 
missionary enterprise. It is very neatly printed. — New- 
York Evangelist. 

It is composed of missionary pieces, from the most 
pious and gifted poetic and prose writers. The whole 
breathes a right spirit ; and it is a happy thing that this 
occasion has been seized upon to give popularity and j 
currency to reading of so pure and benevolent a charac- 
ter.—- Boston Recorder. 



Lg 122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK. jg 



LEWIS COLBY & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 



It comprises various short articles, in prose and verse, 
including the addresses to Judson, at the meeting of the 
Triennial Convention, by Dr. Wayland, and at the mass 
meeting in Richmond, by Elder Jeter. Some of the 
best articles are from the pen of the editor, entitled, 
" Sketches of Missionary Life." We have no doubt 
that many thousands will be sold. It is well calculated 
| to be a popular work. — Rel. Herald, Richmond, Va. 

A beautiful volume, of near 300 pages, consisting of 
deeply interesting missionary sketches, both in prose 
and poetry, from some of the ablest pens ; valuable for 
the biographical and historical information it contains, as 
well as for the influence it will exert in favor of the 
great enterprise. — Baptist Register, Utica. 

A tribute justly due to living and departed worth — 
does honor to the head and heart of the estimable com- 
piler — well-adapted, not only to awaken and increase 
the spirit of missions, but to have a salutary impression 
upon the minds of all who peruse it. — Advocate of 
Moral Reform. 

It is the frame work of the History of the Burman 
Mission, interlaced and entwined with the blossoms and 
fragrance of some of the choicest effusions of poetry. 
The style of execution is elegant. Every family should 
have this book. — Baptist Record, Philadelphia. 

A handsome, and deeply interesting publication, 
which we desire to see introduced to the notice of our 
readers, in something more than merely a formal decla- 
ration. The execution is worthy of the design ; and its 
wide circulation will accomplish much more than the 
commemoration of Judson's visit ; it will tend to culti- 
vate a Judson's spirit in the rising generation. We hope 
to see it in many of the happy homes of Michigan. It 
will always make an elegant and acceptable gift— 
Michigan Herald, Detroit. 



gr 122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK 

^H^WWW^ >i » » wvwwwwv»A^wvwwwwyw»wv»wwvvwww*wv 



sr 



LEWIS COLBT & CO. '8 PUBLICATIONS. 



WORKS OP 
WILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, D. D 



THE CONSERVATIYE PRINCIPLE 

IN OUR L1TERATURF 

18two. cloth, 37£ cents. 



THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, 
THE HOME AND HOPE OP THE FREE. 

127710. pamphlet, 12£ cents. 



GOD'S PRESENCE IN HIS SANCTUARY. 

Qvo. pamphlet, 64 pages, price 25 cents. 

Like the other productions of its eloquent author, it abounds 
in splendid imagery and striking original views, set forth in 
language glowing and expressive. — Christian Reflector. 



A GOOD MINISTER 

OF 

JESUS CHRIST. 

12m0. pamphlet, 12£ cents. 

122 NA8SAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 



r- 



lewis colby's publications, 



FULLER AND WAYLAND ON SLAVERY 



DOMESTIC SLAVERY 

CONSIDERED AS A SCRIPTURAL INSTITUTION ; 
In a Correspondence between the 
REV. RICHARD FULLER, D. D. f 

OF BEAUFORT, S. C, 

AND THE 

PEV. FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D. f 

OF PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



This is a standard text-book upon the subject. 
Let no one say, I have read enough on this sublet. It 
fills a place never before occupied — a calm, candid, and 

I very able discussion of the subject in a Christian-like 
manner. No one fchould be without it, as it will long be 
a book of reference. 

" This is the best specimen of controversial writing on 
slavery, or any other subject, we have ever read. The 
parties engaged in it are men of high distinction, and pre- 
eminently qualified for the task ; and the kind" and Chris- 
tian spirit that pervades the entire work, is a beautiful 
commentary on the power of the gospel. This discus- 
sion is complete, and whoever reads it need read nothing 
more, to enable him to form a correct view of the subject 
in question." — Lutheran Observer, 

It is handsomely executed, and put at a low price. 50 
cents — 254 pages, 18mo. 

122 NASSAU-ST , NEW-YORK. 



LEWIS C OLBY & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 

THE 

PASTORS' HANDBOOK, 

COMPRISING 

SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE, 

ARRANGED FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS OF OFFICIAL DUTY, 

SELECT FORMULAS FOR THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY, ETC.; 

AND 

RULES OF BUSINESS 

For Churches, Ecclesiastical and other Deliberative Assemblies. 



BY REV. W. W. EVERTS, 

PASTOR OF LAIGHT STREET CHURCH, NEW-Y07K. 



Recommendations 



There are strong and just feelings against formulas of 
worship ; but the design of this work is simply to bring 
together passages of the Bible on one subject, in order to 
save the minister the trouble of collecting them, at the 
time, for himself. In addition to the mere convenience 
of such a work, it will contribute not a little to unfold the 
beauties and harmonies of the sacred writings. 

E. W. Dickinson. 



The language in which inspired men breathed their 
devotions to Heaven, and in which the Holy Spirit has 
clothed his own thoughts, is most appropriate to the ends 
of worship, and no doubt, most acceptable to the Father 
of our Spirits. 

A judicious arrangement and classification of Scripture 
passages, therefore, to be used on public occasions, would 
be found eminently serviceable to all the Pastors of our 
country. It would relieve an embarrassment, which 
they all, in common with the subscriber, have probably 
felt, especially on sudden emergencies. I would there- 
fore, earnestly recommend the work of Mr. Everts to the 
attention of the Pastors, and of the public generally. 

Pharcellus Church. 



122 NASSAU STREET, NEW-YORK. 



im^mr**** mn*n*** 



sr 



LEWIS COLBY & CO. S PUBLICATIONS. 

I am confident it will be of great service to ministers- 
of the Gospel. J. S. Backus. 

Should the work which you have so well commenced, 
be faithfully executed in all parts, I could most cordially 
recommend its publication. As a help to pastors, es- 
pecially on extraordinary occasions, it would possess 
great value. Baron Stow. 

I regard the plan as very judicious, and the selections 
as well made and highly appropriate. There can be no 
doubt that such a work, properly executed, would be 
very convenient and acceptable to the ministry generally, 
and tend much to increase the facility, pertinence, and 
impressiveness of their official duties. Gorge B. Ide. 

I concur in opinion with the Rev. Mr. Ide. 

Thomas H. Skinner, 
>V. Patton. 



We heartily concur in the above recommendations. 

Elisha Tucker, 
James L. Hodge, 
David Bellamy, 
Henry Davis, 
E. E. L. T ylor, 

E. Lathrop. 

Such a work I have no doubt will be received with 
great satisfaction by every one in the sacred profession, 
who values appropriateness in public religious services. 

I cannot help thinking that the time has come when 
such a book will be received with great interest. It 
brings no one to any prescribed course, and yet suggests 
services of a character that will almost compel the greater 
proportion of those clergymen into whose hands it may 
fall, to avail themselves of its aid. Joel Parker, 

I heartily concur in the above recommendations of the 
Rev. Dr. Parker. N. Bangs. 



& 



122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK. 



B LEWIS COLBY & CQ.'S PUBLICATIONS. Jt 

THE 

BIBLE MANUAL. 



BY REV: W. W. EVEHTS, 

PAJTOR OF LAIQHT STREET CHURCH, NEW-YORK. 



This is an enlargement of the plan of the "Pastor's Hand- 
book," and contains selections of Scripture, arranged for 
nearly all special occasions of religious worship, as the Or- 
dinance of Baptism, the Lord's Supper, Church meetings, 
Ordination and Dedication services, Bible, Missionary, 
and Sunday School meetings, Thanksgiving, and Fast 
days, &c. &c. It embraces also a large variety of 
selections for ordinary occasions of private and public 
worship, unfolding the leading doctrines and duties *of 
Revelation. 

The Appendix consists of a copious classification of 
Scripture text, upon the various doctrines of Scripture, 
originally published under the name of the u Scripture 
Text Book," by the Irish Religious Tract Society. It 
was received with such favor that more than thirty 
thousand copies have already been sold, and of the last 
edition three thousand copies were sold in one month. 

Thus comprehensive in its plan, and various in its 
matter, the " Selections" is a suitable companion for the 
Bible and Hymn book, in the family circle, and in the 
place of worship ; a useful guide to private devotion, and 
a convenient directory for the pulpit. 

I have examined, at much length, the Manuscript of 
the " Scripture Selections," prepared by the Rev. W. W. 
Everts of this city. They seem well chosen and arranged, 
and promise to afford, especially to the Christian pastor, 
when suddenly summoned to funeral and other services, 
very efficient aid ; whilst to the private Christian they 
must be of interest, as guiding his studies in the Scrip- 
tures, and as illustrations of the harmony and fulnes* of 
God's word on the several topics discussed. 

William R. Williams. 

* 122 NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 



3* 



LEWIS COLBY & CO. S PUBLICATIONS. ' 

, , . 

I regard the " Scripture Selections," prepared by my ex- 
cellent friend and brother, the Rev. W. VV. Everts, as a 
work of much practical utility in the discharge of pastoral 
duties. I have examined the plan and some of the proof- 
sheets with considerable minuteness, and consider both 
the plan and the selections as eminently judicious. The 
need of such appropriate and copious selections of holy 
writ, is often felt by the minister of the gospel in the per- 
formances of the multifarious duties of the pastoral office. 
At funerals, I have long been in the habit of carrying into 
practice the plan so fully developed in this useful work. 
I have opened the Bible, as though I were reading, and 
by the aid of a somewhat retentive memory, have repeated 
from different parts of the Bible, some twenty or thirty 
texts appropriate to the circumstances and the occasion. 
In future, I shall relieve my memory, and I have no doubt 
increase the interest of these and other occasions, by avail- 
ing myself of the excellent compilation of Mr. Everts. 

— John Dowling. 

After examining your plan and a portion of your work, 
I cheerfully express the belief that you will do good, by 
furnishing the Church with " the Scripture Selections." 

George Potts. 

I am happy to say that I see reason to believe that 
your volume will meet a want which has been felt by 
almost every minister, who has been in the habit of 
making the reading of the Scriptures a part of his public 
exercise. R. W. Cushman. 

Having considered the object and plan of the " Selec- 
tions of Scripture, arranged for various occasions of 
religious service," and satisfied of its desirableness and 
utility, I cordially concur in the above recommendation. 

Thomas DeWitt. 

I am satisfied that it will answer most valuable purposes 

ices. 

George Peck, 



as a manual for conducting religious services. 



We heartily concur in the above recommendations. 



Elisha Tucker 
James L. Hodge, 



David Bellamy, 
Henry Davis, 



E. E. L. Taylor, 
E. Lathrop. 



122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK. 



M 



FACTS FOR BOYS, 

SELECTED AND ABBANGPD 

BY JOSEPH BELCHER, D. D. 

Handsomely bound in cloth. ISmo 31 cents. 

Extra Gilt, .50 " 



FACTS FOR GIRLS. 

BY THE SAME AUTHOR, 
And uniform with the above. 

These a/e very entertaining and useful books for chil- 
dren — inculcating religious Truth by interesting Facts, 
Anecdotes, and Stories. It is just the kind of reading 
which children like. 



EVERY DAY DUTY: 

OR 

SKETCHES OF CHILDISH CHARACTER. 

The Author, in this book, in plain and simple language, 
enters into the sports and incidents of childhood, and 
would show to children that they are always happiest 
when doing right. Uniform with the above. 

122 NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 



r lewis colby's publications. *t 

A PUEE CHRISTIANITY I 



A PUEE CHRISTIANITY 
TftE WORLD'S ONLY HOPE. 

BY REV. R. W. CUSHMAN, 

PASTOR OF THE BOWDOIN SQUABS CHURCH, B08T'Jtf 

A Practical and Standard Work. 
Price, 31} cents. 



SYNOPTICAL VIEW. 



True Religion the only Moral Conservative. 

Scripture View of Christianity. 

Means of Restoring Christianity to its Primitive 

Efficacy. 
Duty of the Christian in the Present State of Things. 



This work is an able vindication of Scriptural Christianity, both in 
reference to its spirit, and its organization and ordinances. 

44 There is in this work a forcible statement of 6orae prevalent ob- 
stacles to the progress of pure religion, which ought to be universally 
studied. The author shows a sagacious and penetrating mind in his 
view of the subject, and a degree of boldness and outspoken honesty 
in setting it forth, quite worthy of a follower of Roger Williams- 
We commend it to all who love religious freedom, as worth study and 
a d miration."— New- York Evangelist. 

" It is severe against the errors of the age ; is written with great 
vigor of style, and spiciness of illustration, and cannot fail to awaken 
iuterest."— Baptist Advocate. 

44 This little book is a desideratum, and ought to be read by all 
classes." — Baptist Record. 



122 NASSAU-ST., NEW-YORK. 



M 



THE LONDON APPRENTICE : 

AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE J 

WITH A PREFACE. 

BY W. H. PEARCE, 
Missionary from Calcutta. 

" I should be glad if my notice of this little work — * The 
Happy Transformation' — should induce numbers of young 
men to purchase and read it." — Rev. J. A. James's " Young 
Man from Home" 

Nothing can be more suitaole for young men leaving 
home, to engage in business. The work is especially in- 
tended for the benefit of young persons, about to enter on, 
or already engaged in, the pursuit of business in cities and 
large towns. The narrative is also adapted for usefulness 
to persons of every age, and in the most varied circum- 
stances. It exhibits in striking colors the unsatisfactory 
nature, and the bitter consequences, even in this life, of 
what are falsely called " the pleasures" of yoath* Em- 
bellished with engravings. 18mo. 31 cent'- 



THE WAY FOR A CHILD TO BE SAVED. 

This entertaining book, which has already had a wide 
circulation, can hardly fail of being a means of good to 
every child that reads it. 18mo. 31 cents. 

122 NAS8AU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 

L ; * 



LEWIS COLBY & COMPANY, 

122 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK, 

PUBLISH A GREAT VARIETY OF 

CHOICE AND VALUABLE 

SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS, 

Uniformly bound, in neat half-roan, and generally illustrated 
ivithfine wood Engravings. 

# NEW BOOKS OF APPROVED CHARACTER, 

ARE CONTINUALLY BEING ISSUED. 

IB © © IE i M 3L Ha n m @ s 

And dealers in S. S. Books, may be supplied upon advan- 
tageous terms. Such as reside at a distance and have not 
means of making selections, may depend upon great care be- 
ing taken, and upon receiving new and "perfect copies. 

©AEBIB.&'aFIHI i03H©©ILg 

Wishing to replenish their libraries, may rely upon having 
their orders carefully attended to.^ Orders from the country 
should be accompanied by a list of such books as are already 
on hand, together with the amount to be expended. 

{^Catalogues furnished gratis upon application. 



THE SABBATH SCHOOL MINSTREL, 

DESIGNED EOR SABBATH SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND 
SOCIAL MEETINGS. 

This collection of music and hymns has been made with 
especial reference to the # wants of the Sabbath School. 
The style of the music is simple and devotional ; and while it 
will gratify those somewhat advanced in the science, it may 
be learned with facility by even the youngest scholar. The 
object has been to introduce as large a number of appropriate 
hymns as possible, varying in length and in measure ; and 
all adapted to the exercises of the Sabbath School, its Anni- 
versaries, Celebrations, &c. 



PJ5D0-BAPTISTS NOT OPEN COMMUNIONISTS. 

A DEFENCE OF RESTRICTED COMMUNION, 

By Rev. S. Remingtow, A. M., Pastor of the Stanton-st Baptist Church, 
New-York ; author of " Reasons for becoming a Baptist." 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Messrs. L. Colby & Co. 

I have read carefully Brother Remington's Manuscript upon 
the subject of Strict Communion, and recommend its -speedy publi- 
cation. It contains several interesting historical facts, showing the 
bigoted and persecuting nature of Infant Sprinkling; and proves 
conclusively that Pffido-Baptists believe in close communion equally 
with the Baptists, and cannot cease to practice it without violating 
their avowed principles of Church government and discipline. When, 
therefore, they cry out "close communion— bigotry," against Baptists, 
they condemn in others what they allow in themselves. This little 
tract is calculated to do these inconsistent cavillers good, if they read 
it without prejudice, and allow the truth to have/ree course. 

Brother Remington having been associated with the Methodists for 
more than twenty years, as a public teacher, of course speaks under- 
■tandingly, whenever he touches upon their peculiar tenets ; and I 
cannot but hope that his experience and example may be the means 
of bringing many of the Lord's children into the liberty and order of 
the Gospel. 

Yours, truly, 

SPENCER H. CONE. 

Messrs. L. Colby & Co. 

I have had the pleasure of perusing, in manuscript, the valuable 
little work of my esteemed brother, the Rev. S. Remington, entitled 
" Peedo-Baptist-s not open communionists.^ I think the work is just 
what is wanted as a cheap tract for extensive and general circulation, 
in order to rebut the unfair and uncharitable accusation of bigoted 
exclusiveness, so frequently employed against Baptists, in order to 
operate upon the prejudices of the ignorant and experienced, when 
inclined by the force of truth, and the plain directions of the New 
Testament, to be "buried with Christ in baptism," and to unite with 
our denomination. 

I think that Brother Remington has conclusively shown, that while, 
in maintaining the priority of what we regard as Scriptural Baptism, 
to Communion at the Lord's Table, we occupy only the common 
ground of Pcedo-Baptist denominations ; in other respects, some of 
these denominations, are, at least so far as their creeds are concerned, 
far more exclusive than ourselves From the practical common sense 
of Brother Remington, and his long experience as a minister in high 
standing of one of the most numerous and influential Paedo Baptist de- 
nominations, I know of no man better qualified to prepare just such a 
tract on this subject, as every pastor would be glad to have on hand, 
for the uso of the honest and sincere inquirer after truth. 

JOHN COWLING 



THE 

PASTOR'S HANDBOOK, 

C Oil PRISING 

SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE, 
Arranged for various occasions of Official Duty. 

SELECT FORMULAS FOR THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY, ETC 

RULES OF ORDER 

FOR CHURCHES, ECCLESIASTICAL AND OTHER DELIBERATIVE 
ASSEMBLIES ; AND 

TABLES FOR STATISTISTICAL RECORD. 



The Pastor's Handbook having within the last year found its way 
into the hands of about two thousand Pastors, and thus proved its 
adaptation to the wants of the clerical profession generally, has now 
been enlarged and greatly enriched in its matter. The following 
recommendations from ministers of different denominations, set forth 
the present character and claims of the book : 

"This book contains Scriptures arranged for occasions of official 
duty, as funerals, the visitation of the sick, the celebration of mar- 
riage ; also several marriage forms suited to various modes of the 
celebration of that institution ; also devotional excerpta for the cele- 
bration of marriage, for funerals, and for the Lord's Supper ; also 
rules for professional life and services, compiled from distinguished 
divines ; also, rules of order for ecclesiastical and other deliberative 
assemblies, together with various ecclesiastical formulas ; and finally, 
several tables by which may be preserved from year to year a statis- 
tical record otprofessional services, of the history of churches, of reli- 
gious denominations, and of Christian missions. Though repudiating 
cumbersome and restrictive form books, we believe that a book of 
this kind has long been felt to be a desideratum amongst Protestant 
clergymen of all denominations, and are persuaded that this volume, 
so comprehensive in plan, so various in matter, pointing out rules of 
professional service approved by the most eminent divines, and withal 
gotten up in a form and binding so convenient for use, will be found 
exceedingly serviceable to pastors generally. We cordially com- 
mend it to the attention of all, and especially young clergymen. 
Thomas H. Skinner, D. D. B. T. Welch, D. D- 

George Peck, D. D. John Dowling, D. D. 

G. B. Cheever, D. D. Noah Levings, D. D. 

Wm. R. Williams, D. D. Rev. H. Davis, 

Chas. Pitman, D D. Rev. J. L. Hodge, 

S. H. Cone, D. D. Rev. Edward Lathrop, 

* Thomas D. Witt, D. D. Rev. O. B. Judd." 



FOR BIBLE CLASSES. 

ELEMENTS OF THEOLOGY; 

OR, THE LEADING TOPICS OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY, 
PLAINLY" AND SCRirTURALLY SET FORTH; WITH 
THE PRINCIPAL EVIDENCES OF DIVINE REVELA- 
TION CONCISELY STATED. 

WITH QUESTIONS, 

FOR TILE USE OF BIBLE CLASSES, SEMINARIES OF LEARNING 
AND FAMILIES. 

By DANIEL HASOALL, A. M. ' 

The plan of the work is thus stated by the author :— 

1. After a concise proof of the existence of God from creation, to se* 
forth the evidences of a Divine Revelation contained in the Scriptures 
of the Old and New Testaments. 

2. The attributes of God, as delineated in the revelations widen he 
has made of himself. 

3. The primitive and present character of man. 

4. The recovery of lost men. 

5. The agency of crep.tures connecte 1 with this recovery. 

6. What befalls man at and after death. 

These subjects are treated of in a series of brief essays, with ques 
tions at the close of each essay or chapter. The whole is comprised 
in an ISmo of 260 pages. The style of the author is terse and sugges 
live. He just tcfuches upon the leading thoughts in every subject 
treated of— puts the reader upon the right train of thought — and then 
leaves it for another. 

The book is very readable, and interesting to the solitary inquirer 
into the " elements" of religious truth ; but judging from the ques- 
tions, the author designed it mainly as a text-book for instruction. 
Pastors will find it a suitable book to put into the hands of any in 
their charge, who may wish to form a class for the systematic study 
of the groundwork of our religion ; and Preceptors of Academies, wh$ 
think that theological science should have a place among othei 
sciences in the education of youth, will find this book better adapted 
to their wants than anything which has been before published. 

" The author is a man of experience, soundness, piety, and learning 
in the topics of which the present work treats. His successful aim 
has been to give instruction in the most important branch of know- 
ledge — ' the knowledge of God and of ourselves.' " 

[Christian Reflector. 

" Its use among the young will, with the divine blessing, contribute 
to a sounder condition of our churches. Topics relating to church 
order are omitted, and it may therefore be appropriately circulated 
among all evangelical denominations."— N. Y. Recorder. 



DOMESTIC SLAVERY 

CONSIDERED AS A SCRIPTURAL INSTITUTION ; 

IN A CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE 

REV. RICHARD FULLER, D. D., 

OF BEAUFORT, S. C, 
A>'D THE 

REV. FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D., 

OF PROVIDENCE, R. I. 

" In this book meet two great minds, each tried long, known well, 
clear, calm and strong. The point on which they meet is a great one 
— few so great for weal or wo. Since it first shook our land, the 
strife, from day to day, has grown more keen and more harsh. It 
cheers the heart, when there is so much strife, and so free a use of 
harsh words, to see men like those w r hose names are at the head of 
this piece write in a tone so kind, and so apt to turn the edge of 
strife. But, though its tone be kind and calm, its style is not the less 
strong. Each brings to bear all that a clear head and a sound mind 
can call forth. When two so strong minds meet, there is no room 
for weak words. Each word tells— each line bears with weight on 
the main point. — each small page has in it more of thought than 
weak men can crowd in a large book. 

[Corespondent of National Intelligencer. 



" This is the best specimen of controversial writing on Slavery, or 
any other subject, we have ever read. The parties engaged in it are 
men of high distinction, and pre-eminently qualified for the task ; and 
the kind and Christian spirit which pervades the entire work is a 
beautiful commentary on the power of the Gospel. This discussion 
is complete, and whoever reads it need read nothing more, to enable 
him to form a correct view of the subject in question." 

[Lutheran Observer. 



"The Christian feeling, the gentlemanly courtesy, the powerful 
reasoning, and the inspiring eloquence, which have characterized 
the whole correspondence, conduce, with the importance of the sub- 
ject under consideration, and the excitement which it always pro- 
duces in American minds, to render the volume containing all "the let- 
ters on both sides one of the most attractive which has ever been 
issued in this country."— Baptist Advocate. 



" Its thoroughness, ability, and admirable candor, and the great and 
growing importance of the subject, entitle it to a universal circu- 
lation.— iV*. Y. Evangelist. 



A PURE CHRISTIANITY 
THE WORLD'S ONLY HOPE. 

BY REV. R. W. CUSHMAN, 

PASTOR OF THE BOWDOIN SQUARE CHURCH, BOSTON 

A Practical and Standard Work. 



The events, in the religious world, that mark 
the present time, show that the day has come 
when the corruptions of Christianity must be dealt 
with faithfully, and Christianity itself must be vin- 
dicated from the surreptitious institutes and usages 
which have claimed its authority and assumed its 
name. 



" This little book is a desideratum — ought to be read by 
all classes. It is a most able, not to say masterly vindica- 
tion of scriptural or primitive Christianity, both in refer- 
ence to its spirit and its organization and ordinances." 

[Baptist Record. 

" There is in this work a forcible statement of some pre- 
valent obstacles to the progress of pure religion which 
ought to be universally studied. The author shows a 
sagacious and penetrating mind in his view of the subject, 
and a degree of boldness and outspoken honesty in setting 
it forth, quite worthy of a follower of Roger Williams. 
We commend it to all who love religious freedom, as 
worth study and admiration." — New York Evangelist. 



" It is severe against the errors of the age ; is written 
with great vigor of style, and spiciness of illustration, and 
cannot fail to awaken interest." — Baptist Advocate. 



Itse^- 



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VALUABLE 




t 



t RELIGIOUS BOOKS, T 



FOR THE 



FIRESIDE AND SABBATH SCHOOL. 



MIS3 CHUBMJCK'S, (now Mrs. Judscn) 

PRACTICAL STORIES. 

REVISED EDITIONS. 

THE GREAT SECRET, 

Or How to be Happy. 

FANNY ELMORE, 

A SECOND PART TO THE GREAT SECRET. 

CHARLES LINN, 

Or How to Observe the Golden Rule. 

ALLEN LUCAS, 

The Self- made Max. 



H^hhc- 



v LEWIS COLBY & CO. S PUBLICATIONS. * 



THE J UPSON OFFERING. 

Intended as a token of Christian Sympathy with the 

Living, and a Memento of Christian 

Affection for the Dead. 



BY REV. JOHN DOWLTNG-, A. M, ; 
Author of " History of Romanism," &c 



[Fifth Thousand*] 



83P This edition contains several additional articles, in 
prose and verse, relative to the departure of Mr. and 
Mrs. Judson for Burmah. 

_ 

Not tecs of tf)e former 3Eoitions. 

It is done up in fancy style, something after the fash- 
ion of the annuals ; and a handsome engraving, repre 
senting " The Departure," faces the title. It is neat and 
spirited, and we doubt not, will meet, as it deserves, an 
extensive circulation. The fervent missionary spirit that 
runs through its pages, renders it a valuable work for 
the young ; and we hope it will be selected by thou- 
sands as a holiday present, instead of the expensive, but 
less useful annuals, with which the shelves of the book- 
stores are plentifully supplied. — Christian Secretary. 



Altogether, it will form an acceptable popular offering, 
and obtain a wide circulation. Considering the taste and 
perfection of the mechanical execution, the price is low. 
— New- York Recorder. ^ *J f\ O ^ *** 

L 122 NASSAiAt a , NEW-YORK. V/ W ^ 




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